Assault on Balaurea
by Athamazing
Summary: A hand full of adventurers in the world of Aion find themselves in the new land of Balaurea.  What starts as a quest to investigate the Siel's Relics quickly turns as they venture into Taloc's Roots and meet a Reian boy who reveals an even greater secret.
1. The Beginning

**The Beginning**

"Mina! Wait up!" A boy's voice called out. "You're too fast."

A girl stopped at a forest clearing and waited for him to catch up. She peered up at him with soft silvery eyes through long strands of messy pale white hair.

The boy was taller than her, though their eyes were the same and his hair was shorter and a shade darker than hers.

After studying him, she laughed. "You're just too slow. Come on, I want to go deeper. We've never gone this far before."

The boy sighed. "It's too dangerous. There is a reason why no one wanders this far from the village."

"Oh come on, brother!" She groaned. "It's not that far. Besides, you can fight if something happens."

He frowned. "Maybe…" She was right. He was skilled with a staff which he carried with him on his back, but he was worried about her. She had no weapon and no armor to protect herself if he failed to shield her from an attacker.

"Come on!" The girl harried him before moving on further into the forest.

The boy hesitated and he wanted to stop her but he only found himself chasing after her. She found a stream of water and he continued to follow as she decided to travel to its source, a monstrous waterfall.

Mina stared up at it in awe. "It's so beautiful!" She turned to her brother and noticed that he was looking at something else. "Zihark? What is it?"

"That tree…" He said, "It's giant."

"Huh?" She turned. "Oh wow!"

Before them was a tree taller than any other. Its branches stretched high and its roots dug deep into the ground all around them and through the forest.

"This place…" The boy murmured. "This place is sacred."

Mina looked back at him.

Zihark's silvery eyes narrowed in thought.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"I don't know," he told her. "Let's get a closer look."

The two made their way across the water to the large tree. They stood at the base and gazed up.

"What is that?" The sister asked.

"Hmm?" The boy looked around and squinted his eyes searching up and down the tree. "I don't see anything."

"That stone. Something is stuck in that tree." She stretched out her arm and pointed to it with her finger. "There."

The youth looked harder until he saw it too. A large stone fragment of some kind stuck in the tree's trunk. It glowed a soft blue hue. "I don't know…" He paused and stood there silently by his sister until a feeling of danger washed over him. "We need to leave. We aren't safe here."

"What? Huh?" Mina squeaked. "What do you-"

"Oh look what we have here…" A voice spoke in a deep guttural tone. "Two Reians all alone."

The two turned to see a group of three balaur approaching from behind them.

Powerful kin of the Drakan, they were neither dragon nor human but somewhere in between. Their bodies were covered in crimson scale plates and their eyes were dark and empty, their sharp teeth bared. The one that stood in the middle was the one that spoke to them. He was taller and appeared more powerful than either of his two comrades.

Zihark swore under his breath. "What do you want?"

The balaur commander laughed. "We followed you here. Thanks for leading us to this." He made a hand gesture toward the sacred tree behind them.

The youth snarled and drew his staff from off his back and held it readily in front of himself. "No. Leave here now."

The commander grinned and spoke to his comrades in a different tongue. The other two balaur chuckled menacingly and drew their weapons, large scale covered scimitars.

"Kill them."

"What!" The girl shrieked. "Brother!"

"Mina, run back to the village and get help. I can take these guys. No matter what, they can't find what they're looking for."

The girl hesitated. "But I…"

"You're a brave one, aren't you." The commander told him. "But not very smart."

The boy snarled again and cried out as he swung his staff as hard as he could at the commander.

The balaur blocked his weapon with his own blade and laughed.

"_Mina, RUN!_" Zihark shouted.

Without thinking, the girl obeyed and darted through the trees.

Immediately, the boy swung his staff back around and delivered a blow right to the commander's chest, causing the drakan to stagger and wince.

The commander shouted something in Balic tongue and his comrades ran off after Mina.

"No!" Zihark cried.

The balaur growled and with one swift swing, he knocked the boy to the ground. "You will die today, kid. Your people will learn quickly not to meddle in the affairs of the Naduka Legion."

Zihark gazed up at the commander, gasping for air to regain his stamina. "No… No, I will not let you."

"That's too bad." The balaur's blade rose high and then came down.

Quickly, the boy rolled out of the way to evade it and swiftly thrusted the end of his staff into the solar plexus of the commander, knocking him back while he got back on his own feet. Before he could recover from the shock, Zihark gave the final blow to the commander's head, sending him spiraling to the ground in blind agony.

The boy sighed a small blessing to soothe his own wounds before finally turning back to the trees. "Mina! Where did she go… Which direction…" He panicked. He started to call out to her as he began his search, running as fast as he could to find her.

* * *

><p>The girl ran tirelessly through the forest. She didn't even know where she was going or if her brother was okay. She began to rethink if she should have stayed with him or not, but even if she had, what could she have done? She stopped to catch her breath. She had to have lost them by now. She leaned up against a tree to rest.<p>

"Brother… Please be okay. I know you're strong." She sighed and wondered where to go from there. She was lost.

Then she heard her brother's voice.

"_Mina!_"

Her heart raced. "Brother! Where are you!" She wasted no time and sprinted towards the source of his voice.

"Mina, are you okay!"

"Yes! I'm fine! Where are you, brother!"

He called out to her again. "I'm over here!" he could not see her either but he knew that she couldn't be far. His nerves began to ease until he heard a terrifying shriek. "_MINA_!"

Before Mina stood the commander. His face was bloody and beaten, but he was there, nonetheless.

"Goodnight, Mina."

One blow to the head and she fell limp to the ground.

His comrades came up behind him and one gathered the girl up and threw her over his shoulder.

"Take her back to the camp with the others. Leave the boy for now. I'll take care of him," the commander told them.

The two nodded and continued off.

"Mina!" The youth continued to call out to her. "Mina!" No answer. "damn it!" He searched ceaselessly trying not to give up hope. He called out to her again and again.

Silence.

"She's gone."

The boy recognized that voice. He turned to see the commander standing there. "You… but how…"

He laughed. "I'm going to finish what I started."

"Where is she!" Zihark demanded.

The drakan drew his weapon and swung it fiercely at the boy. "You won't need to know where you're going!"

Zihark parried the blast with his own weapon, but it was far too powerful, knocking his staff out of his hands onto the ground.

"Die!" The commander lunged again at the youth, this time holding nothing back.

Zihark braced himself for the pain and shielded his face with his arms.

The commander's blade came down, crushing through his armor and breaking his bones until the boy laid defenseless before him. Zihark felt the helplessness wash over him. "Aion… save us…" he murmured.

The commander laughed and his blade came down again.

Immediately, before he could land his final strike, the ground shifted beneath them and a giant wooden root sprouted from the ground, shielding the boy and knocking the attacker to the ground.

"_WHAT! What is this_!" The drakan cried.

Before he could get back on his feet, the root smashed into him.

The commander cried out in pain from beneath, unable to free himself.

The boy's head was still spinning.

_How was he still alive?_

_The tree... Did it save him?_

He couldn't move and his wounds were too grave for him to mend quickly, but he was safe. His sister, however, was not. "Mina…" he murmured. "Mina…Mina…" He repeated her name over and over to try and summon enough strength to keep going, but it was no use. His head rolled back and he gazed at the canopy of foliage above and the sunlight peering through. "Please watch over her… I'm sorry Mina…"


	2. A Meeting In Pandaemonium

**A Meeting in Pandaemonium**

"No, I will not duel with you again."

"Why? Please!"

The warrior looked over at the mage. Short dark blue hair and dark blue eyes. He wore an irked expression on his face. He sighed.

"I just want to try something out." The mage begged him. His face looked long and desperate. Medium red hair draped innocently over the mage's emerald eyes. "Please?"

"Fine."

"Yes! Okay, now step back a bit…"

The two asmodians were outside the tavern in the Crandale district of Pandemonium. It was evening and spectators passed by and some stopped to witness some kind of battle that was taking place.

The warrior took a couple steps back as he was asked. "You first."

The redhead grinned and his eyes gleamed crimson as he whispered a strange incantation. He summoned a large ice shard with his magic and smashed it over the warrior following a powerful fiery explosion.

The warrior winced and drew his sword and shield and rushed at the sorcerer to attack when his feet became entangled in sudden foliage growth from the ground.

The mage took a few steps back and murmured another incantation creating a bright sigil on the ground beneath them. Fire rained down on top of the warrior, singeing him and breaking the snare away from his feet.

"Okay, that's enough," the warrior said as he rushed at the mage, swinging his sword and slashing through the mage's sleeve.

The redhead gasped and nearly fell backwards until he cast another spell sending him back several meters instantly away from the attacker. "Not so easy, " he grinned as another spell came into effect.

Immediately, the warrior was encased in a bubble of pure aether and was thrown into the air while freezing bolts of ice stung him all over his body. When it was over, he came crashing down to the ground.

"Ha! I win!" The mage announced pridefully. "What do you think about that?"

The warrior got back up and smiled. "I think you're wrong."

"Eh?" His face went blank in confusion.

The knight charged at full speed to the mage, knocking him flat on his back with his shield and sealing it with his blade at the caster's throat. "You really shouldn't underestimate your opponents so easily."

The sorcerer groaned, his face flushed from his public embarrassment. "Fine…"

"What's going on?" A female voice inquired.

"Oh, Tina. How are you doing?" The warrior turned to her.

Tina was a priestess. Her hair was long and a bright shade of violet with matching eyes that were kind, yet honest. "You guys aren't fighting again, are you?"

"Oh, no." Replied the warrior. "Innes was just trying something out." He smiled.

The red head groaned again and rolled over as he got back up on his feet.

"I see," she replied. "Well you guys rest up. We've got some work to do today. Governor Vidar wanted us for something."

"Oh, work. Don't remind me." The knight paused. "What would Vidar want?"

"I don't know," she told him. "It sounded like something serious."

"I bet." He turned to Innes. "Keep practicing. You'll get better if you do."

The mage nodded.

Tina eyed them both and sighed. "Well, I 'm going to go check our supplies. You should go see what Vidar wants, Arthen."

"Right. I'll catch you guys later then." The warrior smiled and made his way from the Crandale district to the capitol building.

Before Tina headed off herself, she helped tend to Innes' wounds from his sparring. "He beat you again, did he?"

The mage was silent.

"He's really strong. He has to be for our sake. I wouldn't let it trouble you." She smiled after he looked good as new. "All better?"

"Thanks," he told her, though he still looked completely irked about his loss.

"Well, try not to wander. Arthen should be back soon. I'll be getting some things and picking up some stuff from the broker."

"Alright," he said.

After another moment, she continued off as well.

She entered the temple of gold where there were people on either side selling and buying goods and a few people checking things in and out of storage. It was a place of great prosperity and trade in Asmodae.

"Blessings upon you, miss Tina." An older woman at a counter in the center of the room smiled, green eyes and long blonde hair tied back in a loose ponytail.

"Thank you, Veldina," she told her.

Tina approached the storage manager and withdrew some medicines and charms she checked in previously that week into her storage box. Afterwards, she sighed. "Now the broker…"

She walked further down the room where asmodians fought for the cheapest prices and tried to sell off their weapons, armor, trinkets, and goods that they crafted in the artisan hall down the street or items that they plundered from the enemy.

The broker dealers of Asmodae and Atreia were shorter furry creatures who called themselves shugos. They looked more like well dressed ferrets with paws and a long tale with copper metal rings at its end. Their eyes were dark and beady and their nose and mouth features were soft. They looked cute, but they were greedy.

Tina knew better than to be fooled by such an innocent appearance.

They sold themselves out to anyone who offers the most coin. It didn't matter if it were a friend or foe.

One of them turned to Tina as she approached the broker counter. "Hello, daeva. What can I get for you today?"

"I believe you owe me some kinah from my last transaction. My name is Tina if you don't remember."

"Oh right. I'll get that for you right away. Akakakaka"

The cleric eyed him as he dug through records of recent sales and counted each coin before handing it over.

"528,000 kinah. Nyerk. Here you go."

Tina paused. "No, that's not right. That's still about two hundred thousand short, atleast."

"No, daeva. Gororunerk would not cheat you."

"Don't you lie to me, shugo."

"Oh, no! I promise you that the amount is right, mighty daeva. Nyerk."

"You dishonest little-"

"Hey Tina! Is that you?" A young man's voice interrupted hers.

She turned to see a scout clad in leather with dark eyes and short dark hair that wisped over the side of his face.

"Oh, Vince…" She paused. "Hey."

He smiled sweetly. "What are you in town for this time?"

"More work," she said. "Give me a minute." She turned back to the shugo. "I haven't forgotten. Now give me the rest of my money."

"Nyerk!" The shugo squeaked. "That is all. I would not lie to you, daeva."

"Unlikely."

"Hmm?" Vince butted in. "Is this shugo giving you problems, Tina?" His gaze switched from her to the shugo.

"Yes. All he needs to do is check the records. He owes me more money than this. All of my merchandise was sold and I am not receiving the full price that I requested them to be sold for."

The scout sighed and pulled a knife out from its scabbard on his waist and grabbed the shugo by the scruff of its jacket. "Give this woman the rest of her money. Don't make me skin you, shugo."

The shugo gasped and squeaked in surprise. "So frightening, daeva. Please let me go! I give up. I'll give her the rest. Nyerk!"

"You better," he said as he unhanded him and sheathed his blade.

The shugo rummaged through change and counted out the rest. 267,000 kinah in all and handed it over to Tina. "Here's the rest. Please don't hurt me. Nyerk, nyerk."

The cleric scoffed and snatched the rest of her money off the counter and started out the building with Vince behind her. "Thanks," she told him. "I appreciate it."

He smiled. "You have to use a little force sometimes. You can't trust those guys."

She chuckled. "It seems so. Sometimes I wonder if it would be cheaper to take the time to sell my things, myself. Then I don't have to pay any fees or worry about that happening."

"Yeah." Vince smiled and nodded before pausing again. "So, uh… What kind of work is it this time? These general guys have you running around doing their errands constantly it seems."

"Someone has to be willing to do them," she told him. "And none of the big guys ever do anything themselves. Atleast they pay decently well."

Vince laughed.

"It's true."

"Indeed, it is!" He told her. "So any clue as to what you're doing this time?"

"No idea," she replied. "But we got a missive from the governor of Pandaemonium himself so it must be something important."

"Wow! I'm impressed."

She smiled. "We've definitely come a long way in terms of our line of work. It seems like it was just yesterday that we weren't doing more than crushing Arachnas and chasing Mosbears around Altgard."

"You got that right," he told her. "Oh those were simpler days… No nerve racking fortress sieges or pesky Elyos to knock out."

"Indeed."

"So, are you waiting on someone?" Vince asked.

"Yes. Arthen should be speaking with Vidar now. He'll be back this way soon."

"Oh, I see!" He smiled. "Well, let me know if you need my help. I'm gonna go back to the abyss to hunt some sun rats. See you around!"

She laughed. "Don't have too much fun with that."

"Oh, I will." He told her. "See ya."

"Take care," she told him as he dashed off.

The abyss. The space between Asmodae and Elysea which was created when the tower of eternity that linked the two was shattered during the cataclysm. Ultimately, it was a place of siege and war.

White winged Elyos who lived in the sunnier parts of Atreia were the foes of the ebon winged Asmodians who learned to survive in the harshest of conditions through barren lands and frozen tundras. The two were age old rivals who served different masters. The Asmodians followed the Shadim Lords after the cataclysm and the Elyos followed the Seraphim Lords respectively.

They fought each other over the plentiful resources that resided in the abyss and to also defend their homelands from potential infiltrating forces. A war between two celestial immortal races that would never end… and then the Balaur…

Thoughts aside, Tina sighed and seated herself on the stairs to the temple as she waited for Arthen to return.

* * *

><p>Arthen approached the Capitol building, the center of all Pandaemonium. High ornate collumns surrounded the outside of the entrance and spanned around the plaza out front along with beautiful floral and water gardens that beautified the city in all of its glory.<p>

As he entered, he was greeted by the most elite soldiers of Asmodae, the Fangs. Arthen smiled and continued straight down the hall.

On either side were powerful soldiers standing guard as well as Asmodae's best scholars and teachers conducting their own duties. At the end of the hall, the governor Vidar was waiting for him.

"Ah, Arthen, it is good to see you. I hope you are doing well."

He nodded. "I am. I hope all is well with you also."

Vidar smiled, silver penetrating eyes and long aged gray hair. "I am, but there are some things that concern me which is why I summoned you here."

Arthen continued to listen.

"Something happened in Gelkmaros that requires more attention. We've already dispatched some of our best people that are already working on findings and solutions, but I am afraid that it isn't enough still."

"What do you need me to do?" He asked him.

"It's more complicated than that," Vidar told him. "You already know that Lord Marchutan discovered that there are some powerful items in Gelkmaros and Inggison and those are Siel's relics."

"Yes, sir. I remember receiving a report about those."

The governor nodded and continued. "We are afraid that the Balaur already have these items in their possession and have every intention to use them. We are sending our most powerful daevas to neutralize the situation as fast as possible. This means that you must help us retrieve these relics from the hands of the balaur before they have the chance to use them. If they get that opportunity, then you know what the future holds. The destruction of Poeta in Elysea will become a reality. After that, it would only be a matter of time before Asmodae is overrun as well with the drakan and their disciples." He paused. "To do this successfully, a good measure of fighting will be involved as well as traveling and learning to communicate with our allies who are native there in Gelkmaros and Inggison, the Reians."

"Sounds like quite a task," Arthen remarked.

"It is. That is why I want you to handle this. You will be boarding a ship to Gelkmaros first thing tomorrow so be ready. Once you are there, Richelle will fill you in on the rest of the details."

"Got it, governor. We won't disappoint you."

"Oh and one more thing," Vidar told him just before Arthen turned to leave.

"Yes, governor?"

"Recently, the balaur assaulted one of our outgoing ships to Gelkmaros with one of their dredgions in an attack on our fortress base there. I wouldn't be surprised if it happened again so always be ready and on guard, Arthen."

"Yes. Thank you, sir."

"Walk in Azphel's shadow, soldier." Vidar told him.

Arthen smiled and nodded as he headed back out to meet with Tina. He found her by the Temple of Gold, waiting patiently.

Tina's gaze switched from the ground to Arthen as he walked up to her.

"Everything okay?" Arthen asked her.

"Yeah, just thinking," she said. "Did you get to talk to Vidar?"

"Yes. I'll fill you in a bit later. We're going to Gelkmaros tomorrow morning."

"Gelkmaros?"

He nodded. "Yep, in Balaurea. That's where our assignment is this time."

"Sounds like fun," she remarked.

Arthen smiled. "Make sure we have enough supplies to last us a while. I'm not keen on them giving us much aid in this. I'm going to go find Innes and let him know as well."

"Alright. We should have enough already," she replied.

"That's good." He paused. "Well, you should get well rested. Can't have our healer tired on the job."

She smiled. "Don't worry about me. I won't be the one in the front lines."

"Touché," he told her. "Well, I'll see you in the morning."

"See you."

He nodded and smiled.

Tina watched him as he hurried off again before returning back to her thoughts.

It was peaceful aside from the murmured voices and the sound of rattling change from the vendors all over town.

After another moment, she sighed and headed home.


	3. Departure

**Departure**

Morning.

Arthen and the others waited patiently at the airship dock for theirs to arrive.

Innes wasted time challenging anyone that walked by to duels while Arthen and Tina sorted through the details Vidar had provided and the Siel's Relics. Objects of great power that were once thought to have not existed at all. These items were the keys to their future. The Balaur must not have possession of them, no matter the cost.

Tina's gaze fell to the ground. "I see."

"It's definitely a serious matter," Arthen told her. "The future of Atreia is at stake. I'm still trying to take it all in, myself."

"I wonder what they are going to have us do in this."

"If we're lucky," Arthen continued. "It will be a simple matter. But something tells me that won't be the case."

Tina took a deep breath and exhaled. "I guess we'll have to find out once we get there and talk to Richelle."

Arthen nodded in agreement.

"Hey there…" A soft male's voice spoke from behind them.

Tina and Arthen both turned.

It was Vince.

"Oh, didn't see you," Tina remarked.

Vince smiled. "I know. That's what I do best."

Tina smiled.

"I couldn't help but over hear that you guys are getting all the fun and exciting saving-the-world stuff. So I thought that I'd butt in."

"You're free to join us," Arthen told him.

Vince laughed and glanced down at the ground and back up again at Tina and Arthen, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I'd love to but I do have my own things to do." He paused before fixing his gaze on Tina. "Unless you want me to come along."

Tina shook her head. "You don't have to. We know that you like to do your own thing. It's not like you would be paid either."

"Yeah…" He sighed. "Well if you need me for whatever reason and change your mind, you know how to find me."

Tina smiled. "We'll let you know if we need anything from you."

"She's right," Arthen told him.

Vince nodded and smiled before finally darting off again.

"You know," Arthen continued. "We could really use his help this time. We don't know what to expect and if we need him, there is no telling how long it would take for him to get out there.

The cleric shrugged. "We should be fine, I think. I don't want to have to burden him with something that isn't his responsibility, especially if things do take a turn for the worse."

"I suppose," Arthen responded.

Moments later, the sound of clanging bells filled their ears as their ship became visible in the distance. A large wooden ship with tall sails pushed through the air by strong propellers and only the latest technology engineered by shugos, themselves.

Workers readied cargo that would be placed on board and maintenance personnel prepared their tools for check ups once the ship docked.

After unboarding everyone and everything, they started to let others on. Mostly soldiers and others stationed in Gelkmaros.

Once the three were on board and everything was running fine with supplies packed below deck, they were bound for Balaurea.

* * *

><p>"Wow, another one already? Geeze, it must be a record." The dark haired scout chuckled.<p>

Vince was in Morheim, the busiest place in Asmodae second to Pandaemonium. Many people lived in the highest mountains overlooking the snowfield which towered the patamor thicket and the sprigg habitat, both very sparse woodland areas where the remnants of the ancient Elims, tree guardians, lived with other creatures. Even further was the Salintus desert, surrounded by hills and mountains and fiery volcanoes.

He sat high on a rocky cliff overlooking the desert watching the passers-by below, mostly scouting for enemy Elyos who made their way into the asmodian lands. This was a common hot spot for intruders.

He sat comfortably, peering down at one Elyos who was making its way to the sprigg habitat on the other side of the hills behind him. Vince watched him carefully and grimaced. "Do they all walk like that?"

After another moment when there was no sign of him stopping or turning around, Vince drew two daggers from their sheathes on his back and crouched down as he went into stealth.

The hapless Elyos continued forward as fast as he could. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and clad in light armor. He was untouched by trial or darkness unlike the Asmodians who possessed sharpened claws and long manes down their backs and eyes that glowed red in the face of battle.

Vince jumped down from his spot and landed behind the enemy. He readied his blades, eyes glowing crimson, and went in for the attack.

Immediately the Elyos swung around and shouted something intelligible in Elysean.

Vince paused and looked around him and then back at the enemy.

"I…must…" The blonde shook his head, eyes wide. "Elim…message…important.."

Vince sighed and shook his head. "Not happening today, buddy." Another moment and his blades tore through the Elyos like paper and it fell to the ground, face first into the desert sand.

"When will they learn?" The scout laughed as he wiped off his weapons and put them away. "Hmm…"

"Vince of the Fenris Fangs?" A squeaky voice inquired behind him.

The scout spun around to see a furry shugo standing before him. "Gah! Don't call me by that title out here like this!" He chastised.

"Oh sorry…Nyerk." Came the reply.

"What is it?"

"A missive, sir. It's from Viscum"

"I'll take that, thanks." Vince told him.

The shugo nodded and handed him the letter. "That be all. I must be going. Time is silver, friend. Akakakaka." With that, the shugo hurried off again.

The scout opened the letter and unfolded it. The letter read simply:

_Vince, meet me in Primum Landing. I have a new assignment for you. When you are here, you will receive the rest of the details. I will be looking forward to seeing you soon._

_Blood for blood,_

_Commander Viscum_

Vince grinned and folded up his missive and tucked it nicely into his jerkin where it was safe. "Sounds like I've got myself another mark." The scout muttered an incantation and drew a rune on the back of his left hand with his right. When it glowed brightly, he covered it with the palm of his other hand and vanished.

* * *

><p>"Ack I'm gonna be sick!" Innes doubled over the side of the ship in agony.<p>

"You should go below decks if you're feeling that bad," Tina told him.

"No," the red head contested. "I'll be okay up here… I think. Augh."

Tina sighed. "We'll be there very soon now. Just a little longer."

"I hope so." The mage groaned.

Tina turned to Arthen. "Do you know how long it will be? Innes is absolutely miserable."

Arthen thought for a moment before answering. "Another hour, I think." He looked over at Innes. "Maybe some medicine would help?"

"I can see what I have. Something should work." The cleric opened the flap on her satchel and began digging through her things until she pulled out an amber shaded glass bottle. She handed it to Innes. "That might help your stomach," she told him.

The mage snatched the bottle from her and popped off the corn and poured the contents of the bottle down his throat, desperate for relief.

After a moment, Tina smiled. "Better?"

The red head paused before answering her. "Yes. A little."

She nodded. "Good. Give it a little bit to work. You should go lower and rest. We'll get you when we're almost there."

"Thanks," he said before heading off to the lower quarters of the ship.

"I never knew that he had such bad motion sickness," Arthen remarked.

"Really?" Tina looked at him. "Or maybe you've just never noticed."

The warrior laughed. "I guess not."

Tina smiled. "One hour, huh?"

"Yep," Arthen told her. "Then we'll get some answers out of Richelle. Maybe the situation isn't so bad."

"I hope so." Tina exhaled and turned her gaze to the distant clouds that passed them by.

_I hope._


	4. Vile Energy

**Vile Energy**

It was later in the afternoon when the ship finally docked in Gelkmaros fortress. It was surprisingly sunny and humid even.

Tina exhaled and smiled. "Well, I guess we're here now. I'll go get Innes."

Arthen nodded and proceeded to step off the ship and waited for them below on land. He took a minute to take in his surroundings.

Men, women, and daeva were all about working and conducting trade and soldiers were coming and going. The base was surrounded by a large stone wall and the far side before them were several rooms indoors at the top of a massive incline of stairs.

"This place…" His words trailed off.

"This is Balaurea, my friends! Akakakaka." A shugo chirped. "Need help with carrying any of your things?"

Arthen shook his head. "No, but thanks."

"Okay. Nyerk!" The shugo went back on the ship anyway.

Arthen turned to see Tina and Innes both getting off the ship and smiled. "Feeling better?"

"Yes," the red head answered. "Wow, I don't think I've been here before."

"I don't think any of us have," Arthen told him.

"Arthen?" A young slender woman approached them. Her hair was long and curly and silver. Her eyes were a shade of light blue. She carried a logn wooden staff with her as she walked.

Arthen turned to her. "Yes, that's me."

She smiled. "I am Richelle. Will you come with me? I've been waiting some time for your arrival."

He nodded and the three followed her into into the center room where some of Asmodae's best strategists and generals were all working to dispatch and receive missions and soldiers where needed.

"As you know," Richelle started, "The balaur have already apprehended the relics. But there's hope." She paused. "It appears to have been a rogue from the recent dredgion that crashed near base. He was able to make off with the Relics after the crash and both Asmodians and Balaur alike are pursuing him."

Arthen raised an eyebrow. "What does he intend to do with them?"

"We don't know. What we can assume is that he is acting on his own personal agenda. We haven't been able to locate his exact whereabouts because he is constantly on the move, but we have our teams on it."

"Do we know his name?" Tina inquired.

"Yes." Richelle answered her. "Our sources have informed us that the other balaur address him by the name _Kumbanda_. He isn't more than an ordinary soldier in possession of possibly a few extraordinary items."

"So what is our mission?" Arthen asked her.

Richelle shook her head. "Until we have more information, we can't do anything about that now. I need you to help us with a different problem for now." She sighed. "Recently our Aetheric generators have stopped working correctly. Without them, we will be forced to operate through even darker days ahead. However, we think that the the Balaur and their Drana growing devices could be the reason behind it."

"So you want us to destroy them?" Innes added.

"Not quite," Richelle told him. "We think that we can actually take out the devices and change them into Aetheric generators and possibly further our territory by doing so at the same time. We've been working on a solution that would be able to do this, but we need someone to test it."

"Sounds easy enough," Arthen remarked.

"It does," Richelle continued. "But the Balaur patrol and keep close watch over their devices as we do ours, so it might prove to be challenging. In addition, there are a lot of strange creatures around the devices that have become feral from contamination caused by our generators reacting with their devices."

Tina frowned. "What do you mean?"

Richelle turned to her. "Our generators produce artificial aether to supply ourselves with enough necessary to live and carry out our operations in Gelkmaros. It's our energy source. The Balaur's drana growing devices seem to be absorbing the aether it's producing and mixing to create some toxic effects on the creatures and plants in the areas between them. How exactly it's happening, we're still not entirely sure and we have our best people investigating and taking samples to understand it."

"I see."

Richelle looked back to Arthen. "I want you to take the Aetheric Air Line terminal to go south to the Subterranea Outpost and go north from there to the Marayas Scrublands and speak to a man named Farbin who is currently working on the solution. When he's done with it, I want you all to test it on the drana growing devices. There is one there in Marayas and another that's north in Nunglark Ruins. If it works, then this would be a great victory for Asmodae and a step forward in defeating the Balaur and reclaiming the abyss."

"Got it," Arthen told her. "Anything else that we should know?"

"Yes," Richelle continued. "While you are out working on this mission, you should try to introduce yourselves to the natives here. The Reians are still learning our language so be courteous to them. They have been more than helpful so far to our cause."

"Sounds good." The warrior turned to Tina and Innes. "Are we ready?"

"Yes," Tina replied.

The mage nodded.

"Then let's go." He glanced back at Richelle before he continued. "We will be back soon."

She smiled. "Goodluck."

Arthen nodded and the three made their way back outside.

"The terminal is over here, I think." Tina told them as she made her way left from the room.

The two followed her to what looked like a white stone sculpture pulsating with aether. On the sculpture were instructions scribbled in small letters.

_- How 2 Use Air Line -_

_1. Press button._

_2. Spread wings._

_3. If no start, check Aether supply. If no Aether, no start._

Arthen tilted his head. "Interesting. Sounds easy enough,"

"It's weird," the red head remarked.

Tina sighed and pressed the button.

Suddenly a glowing blue aetheric light surrounded them. Dark wings materialized on their backs as they spread them wide and were lifted high into the air. The three rose high into the air and south bound for Marayas. Below them they could see the path and the overgrowth of foliage all around. They flew down through a deep canyon and up again. They continued where the aether pulled them until they arrived at the terminal in an observation post a little ways south of their destination.

The outpost was a small camp set up by the Pandaemonium Expeditionary Force. A few archons stationed there glanced their way before resuming their work. And then there were the Reians, the people of crimson wings. Their hair was silver and their eyes were also colorless. Their demeanor was proud but stained by despair and hardship.

Tina felt a slight tugging in her heart when she saw them.

Arthen looked around, noting the stone monuments and columns all around him, until he noticed a stone bridge off to his right that reached across a deep fissure. "That way, I bet," he thought aloud.

Tina looked over at Arthen and nodded. "Alright, let's go then."

The other two followed Arthen down and across the bridge to the other side where the effects of the drana problem became obvious.

To their left was an aetheric generator, but also beasts roamed with mutated bodies. Feral dogs with multiple heads and odd dragon like creatures with glowing antlers. Some parts of the grass growing in the area were discolored into shades of purple and blue. As they continued up and around the path, the remnants only became worse.

Their walk was silent until they made their way up to another bridge that lead across to what looked like an ancient city or arena perhaps with a circle of tall columns at its heart. Giant stone statues of ancient daevas and beasts were erected all around it.

"This place is amazing." Tina told them as they came closer.

"Wait." Arthen stopped. "We need to be careful here. Stay close to me while we pass through."

Tina nodded and they continued forward.

Innes jumped and cried out.

Arthen swung around. "What is it?"

"That statue!" The mage pointed. "It moved! I swear to Aion it just moved."

Tina sighed. "Don't pick now to be chickening out on this."

Innes shivered. "I swear it did."

"Hmm." Arthen looked around. "Let's keep going."

The three continued on until they made it to the other side and back onto the trail again. They passed what looked like the ruins of several sandstone buildings with statues all around them. Strange mutated creatures wandered around off of the trail. It was not long until they came upon a small encampment ahead of them.

"That looks like the research team," Tina noted.

At the camp were quite a few researchers and archons and a tent was set up right across from one of the asmodian aetheric generators.

Arthen approached them. "Excuse me, I'm looking for Farbin?"

One of the men looked over at him. "Did Lady Richelle send you? He's in the tent behind me."

"Yes, thank you," he told them before heading over.

Inside was a shorter dark haired man dressed in robes. He stood at a table covered in what looked like alchemy supplies and books and notes which he was franticly shuffling through.

Arthen and the others walked up to him but he didn't seem to notice.

"Hello?" Arthen greeted.

Ignored.

They overheard him talking to himself. "Oh, but that must mean…Yes! The pre-Phoristian peasantry must have…. But wait, that can't be right. What about the Cambrus Tablet, which clearly states…. Of course! Drakan worship must have led to the Senmonji Debacle! So it follows that…"

Arthen sighed. "Hey, Farbin?"

The man stopped and turned around. "Oh! I didn't see you there. What are you here for?"

"Richelle sent us here to help you if that's alright."

"Oh," he paused. "Well, I do need some help. Hmm."

"Have you made the fix for the drana devices?" Tina asked him.

"Indeed I have!" Farbin grinned. "I, myself, have created the perfect solution for the problem, it's right here in this bottle!" He snatched a flask with a strange liquid inside off the table and waved it in the air. "Literally, it is a _solution_, get it?" He laughed.

Tina rubbed her forehead and sighed. "Yes."

"Take this and pour it on the devices. That should make them unable to function correctly and our generators should be working properly again."

"That easy, huh?" Arthen crossed his arms.

"Yep!" Farbin responded. "Hmm…but maybe.."

"What is it?" The warrior inquired.

"After you pour the contents of this on the devices, you will also install this onto them to turn them into aetheric generators instead." He dug through his things and pulled out two mechanical devices and handed them to Innes and Tina. "And of course, you'll want this." He handed Arthen the flask. "Take care of that and make sure you get it on the device so it works. That's my hard work there. All my work…"

Arthen sighed. "That's great. So where are the devices?"

"West of here is one of them," Farbin told him. "The other that is causing problems is in Nunglark which is far north of here. Oh, you'll need to fix both."

Innes groaned. "I hate walking."

Arthen paused. "Any particular way to install these?"

"Oh! I almost forgot." The man laughed. "You can set it up anywhere on the device by pressing the button and then it's set up. That easy."

"Good to know," he told him. "We'll be off then."

"Yes, yes." Farbin said as he turned back around and continued to shuffle through his things.

The three headed out and started west.

"What a headache this is going to be," Arthen remarked.

"As long as we are being paid," Tina told him.

The three continued on until they reached a clearing. Several balaur creatures were patrolling around, dragon kin clad in white armor plates. Their claws were long and sharp and a long tail extended from their backs.

Along with the balaur were corpses of mutated animals scattered all over the ground around a drana device. Mutated and stained by hues of purple and green.

Tina frowned and whispered something under her breath.

Arthen waited for the Balaur to finish their course, being careful to remain unseen before he darted over to the device and poured half the concotion onto the device. It's low mechanical hum came to a halt.

Immediately one of the balaur guards turned around and saw them. "Daevas!" He shouted.

"Not good.." Arthen drew his sword and shield. "Tina, install the device, me and Innes will hold them off."

Tina nodded.

Two other balaur answered their comrade's call and rushed to his aid.

Arthen extended his arm at one and a beam of light emanated and trapped one of them in a case of aether and pulled it to him and the warrior cut through the balaur with his blade.

The other two balaur watched and hesitated to attack.

Before they could run, Innes slammed his fist into the ground, sending a shockwave of ice that froze the enemy's legs in place.

They shouted something again in Balic tongue to call their comrades but to no avail.

The mage blinked back and casted a blazing ball of fire at one, burning him.

The Balaur winced but was able to move again. Immediately he charged at the boy and swung his powerful blade and knocked him to the ground.

Arthen breathed a curse before a bolt of lightning came down from the sky and killing the drakan where he stood.

"It's installed," Tina finished, her arm still pulsing with electricity.

"Good work," Arthen told her before he turned to the remaining enemy who had began to flee.

Innes pulled himself back up onto his feet and gave chase with the others.

An entanglement of vines sprouted from the ground and caught the drakan's legs.

The warrior swung his sword only for the balaur to turn around and block it with his own.

"What an impudent rat," the enemy muttered.

Arthen spat and swung his sword back around only for the balaur to knock him back with the sheer brute force of its other arm.

Innes began casting again, the ground beneath him glowing in the shape of an arcane rune.

Arthen guarded himself with his shield before him as the drakan charged at him again.

Suddenly a shower of fire and ice fell on the balaur, killing him instantly.

Arthen exhaled and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "All finished?"

"Looks like it," Tina replied.

"Let's start heading north then," Arthen told them.

The cleric and the mage nodded.

"I hope you guys like walking." The warrior smiled.

Innes groaned.

* * *

><p>Primum Landing was the first biggest Asmodian stronghold in the abyss. A massive fortress complex filled with military vendors and only the best archons ready to be dispatched at any moment for both defensive and offensive tasks. It was also the home of the Blood Crusade and their commander, Viscum.<p>

Vince stepped off the teleported and brushed himself off. He looked up at the grand fortress and grinned before finally making his way inside. Once inside, he saw the large balcony supported by stone columns before him overhead with a large obelisk towering over the lobby room. Stairs lead up on either side and there were also rooms where goods were sold and traded and awards were received for contributions in the name of Asmodae.

The scout made his way up the stairs to his left and across the balcony and finally approaching a man with cold eyes and frigid cool blue hair combed back into spikes. "Commander, Viscum," he started. "You needed me?"

The man turned to him and smiled a half smile. "Azphelumbra, Vince." His voice was deep and strong. "I have another task for you and I called you here because information was too delicate to slip into untrustworthy hands."

Vince nodded and continued to listen.

"This time…" the commander continued. "It is an Elysean army general named Atira. She is one of their best soldiers right now and she is skilled in both sword and halberd and has torn through many of our own men with her forces.." He paused and smiled before taking a folder out from his jacket and handing it over to him. "But I am confident that this will be an easy task for you, daeva."

Vince took the packet and opened its contents to take a glimpse of what was inside. Several documents of past feats and locations as well as personal data gathered on her were inside as well as photographs. _Wowza.._ She was a tall warrior clad in plate with vicious green eyes and long flowing blonde hair. Her body was carved masterfully like a fine porcelain doll. The scouts eyes fell glued to the middle of the page for a moment before glancing back up. "Everything I need to know is in here?"

The man nodded. "Yes. Over the next few days, our intelligence officers have gathered that she will be planning an assault on the Baranath Dredgion when it is enroute. Find a way to infiltrate as well and bring her down and get out as fast as you can."

The scout nodded and sighed. "I'll do my best."

Viscum smiled. "You are one of our best. I have faith that you will be the one that will bring an end to her once and for all. Report back to me once the task is complete and I will reward you handsomely for your contribution, Assassin. That is all."

"Understood. Blood for blood, commander." The scout told him.

Viscum nodded. "Crush our enemies."

Vince put away the folder after one last glimpse of his mark. Afterwards, he started to make his way out.

"Vince!" He heard a mans name call his name.

He turned to see an archon clad in steel run up to him. "Oh… Edvar, what's up?"

"I've been working on this poem.. And I wanted to see what you thought of it."

"Uhh…" The scout hesitated. "Sure."

"The title is called "Roast Pujery with Salt."

Vince stared blankly in silence.

"Roast Pujery with salt, laid out on the table… You are rather salty, sprinkled with too much salt…. Suddenly our eyes meet, and I flinch…. Please forgive me, Pujery."

The scout didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"That's the end!" The man exclaimed. "What do you think?"

"Uhh…" Vince scratched his head. "It's great, but I need to be going. I got something I need to take care of." The assassin darted off.

"Really! I knew you'd be a good judge!" The archon told him as the scout hurried off.

The scout continued before finally stopping at the abyssal teleporter. _I wonder how Tina and the others are doing… I hope they're alright._


	5. Displaced

**Displaced**

The sun was beginning to set as Arthen and the others continued north. The surroundings changed from dirt and field to lush forest again.

Innes groaned. "How much further is it?"

"Not long, I don't think." Arthen told him. "It shouldn't be longer than it was from the terminal to the research camp."

"Yeah right." The red head exhaled.

Tina stopped. "Oh, look. There's a village up ahead."

Arthen nodded. "Looks like it. We must be close, although it wouldn't hurt to rest or stop for the night. It'll be dark soon anyway."

"Innes would appreciate it, I'm sure." Tina laughed.

"Please!" The mage begged.

The knight laughed. "Alright then."

The three headed up the path to a large wooden gate. The guards standing outside eyed them for a moment, but said nothing.

It was a small village, made of tents and some makeshift homes as they were construction in progress.

The residents here were usual asmodians, shugos, and the Reians of Balaurea. However, there were also kobolds and scurves here.

Kobolds were another race of creatures that lived in Atreia. They looked like tiny humans, almost like hairless monkeys who grew no higher than the waist level of an average asmodian. Scurves were just as small, but they better resembled gophers or hamsters with scaley bird feet. Though they lived all over Atreia, it was unusual to see them in a place like this.

"It looks like they just started building this place." Tina noted.

Arthen nooded. "With this number of guards around, I'm pretty certain this is an Asmodian stronghold against the Balaur that are further to the north."

"Something like that, but not quite." A brown haired woman with brown eyes, clad in light armor approached the three from behind them.

"Oh. Hello." Arthen turned.

The girl smiled. "Are you travelers, here?"

The knight nodded. "Yes. We were hoping to stay here and rest a bit, if you don't mind."

"Oh, not at all!" She exclaimed. "You can stay as long as you like."

Innes sighed with relief. "That's great."

"So..." Tina started. "What is this place then?"

She smiled. "This is the Rhonnam refugee village. Most of the sapiens that are here now used to live further north until the Tiamat and his Balaur pushed them out and destroyed their homes."

"Oh." Tina frowned.

The girl's smile faded. "This place isn't much yet, but it's being rebuilt slowly. Things are hard for them, but keeping them busy with labor and the festivals makes it easier for them."

"Wait." Arthen paused. "Festivals?"

The girl laughed. "Yes! Every month, we have a festival here and everyone gets to have fun. It gives something for everyone to look forward to apart from working and fighting."

"That does sound like fun." Tina added.

"Yes." She told her. "So are you all just passing through?"

Arthen nodded. "We actually came to this area with a few errands to sabotage some Balaur efforts in the Nunglark territory."

"That's good news." She told him. "If there is anything you need, please let any of us know." She paused. "Oh, and my name is Sophie!" She blushed. "I almost forgot."

Arthen smiled. "My name is Arthen, and with me is Tina and Innes. We'll probably be staying for just a night though if things run well."

Sophie smiled. "Please feel free to stay longer if you need to."

"Thank you," Tina told her.

She just smiled.

The sun was setting and the sky was only getting darker as the night set in.

The three made their stay within the village comfortably and safely.

Though as Arthen closed his eyes to sleep, something didn't feel right. He wondered for a moment why but ended up only pushing it from his mind as he fell into a restless slumber.

Something didn't feel right.

* * *

><p>Vince felt his eyelids grow heavy as he waited patiently for his mark to arrive.<p>

He waited at Black Cloud island in the abyss, the headquarters for shugo traders from all over Atreia where goods were shipped back and forth from Asmodae to Elysea and even Balaurea. Between Elyos, Asmodians, and Balaur alike.

Vince watched as the shugos carried boxes back and forth onto ships or placing them in storage. He also fought not to stare at their body guards, giant mountain trolls with clubs and swords. He'd hate to get on their bad side.

He wondered if it were night or day still. The abyssal sky was always dark. The ground remained lit only by a nearby star. He started to gaze off into space again when he caught a glimpse of white wings.

The scout immediately jumped to his feet and hid himself out of sight.

It was an Elyos. Several of them stopping on the island to rest.

Vince instantly recognized one of him as his mark. His eyes widened.

Her hair was long and blonde like in the picture and she was plated in armor fused with balaur flesh. She carried with her on her back a nasty looking polearm as well.

Vince stared for a moment before she looked his way and felt her jade eyes penetrating through him. Startled, he pulled back completely out of sight. _How the heck am I supposed to pull this one off?_

The scout listened carefully to the Elyos chattering back and forth in their language, trying to make out the words. They were definitely here to plan a small scale assault on the dredgion docked nearby for repairs and he knew he would have to follow behind them. He started thinking that it wasn't such a good idea at this point.

"_Qit'b lo!_" The general shouted something in Elysean and the troupe extended brilliant white wings and took off again.

Vince waited a moment and swallowed hard before leaving after them.

He remained out of sight as best as he could and tried to remain above them out of their line of sight. Thankfully, his darker skin and black wings proved to be good camouflage against the dark sky. He continued after them carefully.

Eventually they came upon the Dredgion, a tremendous balic bioship. The docks were open and the lights were dimmed as repairs were being done someplace within.

Vince waited a moment after the Elyos dropped into an open dock before he followed after them. Once inside, chills ran down his spine after feeling the fleshy pink interior that was beneath his feet and all over the walls. He continued on wearily. His job was to catch the general unawares or injured before he could make his move, but he also anticipated the danger if he were to fail.

They were both very far from their soul binding points. This meant that death meant death.

Vince felt the hum of power and machinery start to dissipate. This was the Elyos' doing as they took out the ship's power centers. The scout stood in one of the rooms where a damaged surkanate power core was at its center. It was in pieces.

The scout frowned when he saw that the next hallway in the ship split into two separate passageways. He couldn't stay here alone and he couldn't lose them either. He waited until he heard the next power core short circuit before darting off the path ahead of him. He was sure it came from that direction.

"You! How the hell did you get in here?"

Vince froze when he realized that a Balaur was fast approaching from behind him.

The drakan swung his scimitar wildly at the assassin.

Vince breathed a curse and dodged out of the way of the blade so that he was only brazed by its edge on his arm. The pain stung wildly. _Poison..._

Before the Balaur swung again or alerted anyone else, the scout dashed behind him and ran his own blade along his neck and dropped him limp on the floor.

He sighed. _Of course they'd know that we're here. I need to find my mark.._

Vince hurried on ahead until he saw yet another Balaur checking out the scene. There were two of them this time. The scout pulled back out of sight and watched them for a moment until they followed after the trail of the Elyos ahead of them. Vince took this chance to follow carefully behind them as well.

Finally, his mark and her soldiers were finally in sight and already engaged in fighting with several drakan.

Vince waited silently for his chance to strike.

Atira swung her polearm swiftly and easily at the enemies as though it weighed nothing at all.

The other Elyos fought behind her to keep the increasing number of enemies at bay. They shouted to one another in their own Elysean tongue.

"You conniving wench! Let me rip off that ugly face of yours!" One of the Balaur taunted her as he swung wildly at her face.

She hissed at the contact and the side of her face bled. She swung back and knocked the enemy to the ground and pierced him through.

Vince watched carefully until she looked up and their eyes met again. Both hers and his eyes widened.

The general shouted something unintelligible in their language, but no one came to aid her. She turned to see that her soldiers were completely in holding by the enemy Balaur. Her skin ran pale.

Vince watched the scene carefully. Now was his chance, he couldn't hesitate. He could kill her now and make a run for it. He readied his blade for the kill when his arm felt shattered with pain again. He breathed a curse and remembered the poison. When he readied his knife again after studying her backside more closely now, he rushed out for the kill.

Immediately, something from behind him took hold of his arm and yanked him back. The realization was instant that he had been apprehended by the Balaur as well. A tall dragonoid Balaur had him in its grasp and he was completely unable to move. He swore to himself outloud.

A balaur general approached Atira from the other side. He was much more humanoid than the other Balaur here and his skin was a slick pale blue rather than thick dragon scales but his face was indeedibly reptilian. He smiled slyly at the woman. "You thought that you were cunning enough to come all the way out here on your own, didn't you?" He spoke softly in Balic tongue.

She said nothing. She knew that this was certain defeat.

The balaur general laughed. "Such small numbers, I wonder what you take us for?" He encircled the Elyos general until he stood directly before her. "It would be a waste for you to die here, wouldn't you think?"

Atira remained silent. She only stared back at him with a straight cold expression on her face.

The general smiled. "Take her and the others and put them up in cells for now." He paused as his men came swiftly to take hold of the blonde.

She resisted at first but remembered that there was no use in fighting now.

"Oh," The general continued. "And don't forget that little annoying Asmodian rat as well. He's done his share of sneaking around this place as well."

Vince growled.

The general only smiled as the Elyos and Vince were taken away to the holding chamber.

The prisoners were handled roughly and stripped of their armor and weapons. Afterwards, they were shoved into clear plasmic capsules against the wall and were sealed shut within.

Like the others, Vince could only comply for now. He was thankful that his life was still his own and began to plot his escape. He knew that Atira was probably doing likewise.

After they were all imprisoned, only a few Balaur remained to stand guard.

Vince exhaled. _How the heck did I get myself into this one..._


	6. An Underestimated Adversary

**An Underestimated Adversary**

The sun was clearly up when Arthen finally awoke. Everyone else was already up and waiting on him.

The templar sat up wearily from his bedding and stretched. He frowned when he noticed that he was alone in his tent and noticed the strong sunlight shining from outside. _How long was I asleep?_

Arthen finally got up and put away his bedding and pulled on plates of armor one by one before finally stepping outside.

"Finally." Innes groaned. The mage and the cleric had been waiting patiently outside.

Tina smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

Arthen shook his head. "Hardly. I couldn't sleep last night for some reason."

Her smile faded. "Well, here." She handed him something wrapped in an otombliss leaf. "Have some breakfast first and we'll head out."

"Thanks," he told her. He paused. "You haven't been out here waiting for me all of this time, have you?"

Tina shook her head. "Actually, Sophie showed us around the forest here and the lake and everything. It's really beautiful here. It's just a shame that the balaur are so close by."

"Hmm." Arthen frowned. "Hopefully our meddling with the generator won't incite something worse."

"Huh?" Innes looked up. "What do you mean?"

The templar sighed. "What if they decide to retaliate because of our doing? This camp is only minutes outside of balic territory. It wouldn't be right to assume they'll just roll over."

The red head shrugged. "This is our assignment. You remember, right? Without the aetheric generators working, Asmodians are powerless as it is."

"I guess you're right." Arthen surrendered.

"I think that there are enough elite soldiers on guard here," Tina told them. "If something were to happen, that's a pretty strong line of defence they'd have to break through first."

"I hope so," Arthen continued. "Let's get going, shall we?"

At last, the three headed out with Marchutan's blessing from the guards as they continued on north towards balic territory. They came upon an area where the forest had been completely cut down and where the ruins of many broken down buildings stood.

"These are the Nunglark Ruins." Tina spoke aloud.

"Looks like it," Arthen told her.

Among the patrolling balaur were also their allies, the Krall and the Mau.

The Krall were strong and powerful giants, tall and all brawn with large arms and bodies. Their faces were twisted with wrath and hatred. The Mau, however, were slender feline soldiers with the likeness and swift exactness of a tiger. They were both very formidable foes.

"Do either of you see the drana growing device?" Arthen asked.

"Nope." Innes sprinted ahead of them to get a better look.

"Be careful." Tina warned him. "Let's try not to be seen so soon."

"Yeah, whatever." The mage rolled his eyes. "Hey, come here, I think I see it."

The other two hastened behind him until the device was indeed in sight. However, there had to have been a dozen more balaur patrolling the area than there had been in the Marayas region.

Tina became uneasy. "Are you sure we don't need anymore help?"

Arthen shook his head. "I think we'll be fine."

Innes grinned. "Are you kidding? I can just put them all to sleep while you guys install that stupid thing."

"See? Sounds easy enough." Arthen tolled them. "Do you have the aetheric device, Tina?"

"I do," she told him. "I have it in my bag."

"Alright then. Let's go."

The three sneaked around the eastern outer skirts of the ruins unseen towards the drana device. When finally there, the mage ran ahead of them up to the balaur.

Before any of the drakan had a chance to act, Innes pounded his fist hard into the ground beneath him and a cloud of blue mist spread about and put the enemies into a deep bewitched slumber. "It's clear," he said, walking back.

"Hurry," Arthen told Tina.

She nodded and hurried to install the aetheric device.

"Whaaat's thiss! Intrrruderrs!" A Mau warrior patrolling nearby started to alert the rest of the settlement.

Arthen cursed. "Tina, get out of there!"

Her face ran pale as she started back. "It's okay, it's in!"

Quickly, Innes whispered an incantation and the warrior became the form of agrint tree.

But it was too late.

Others were already rushing to the scene and even worse, the balaur whom were slept were starting to wake up.

"We'll have to fight," Arthen told them. He drew out his sword and shield.

The tree spell faded and the Mau rushed forward swinging his blades wildly.

The knight retaliated and thrust forward his shield to knock back the warrior and cut him down with his sword. "Innes!"

Foliage grew up from the ground and entangled the feet of the other incoming warriors.

The mage swiftly casted bolts of flame and ice from his hands to begin picking them off.

Arthen made his way to Tina to begin fighting off the waking Balaur.

Tall, strong, and powerful, the balaur were covered in silvery scales, some didn't have a visible face or head for that matter. They were fierce.

One of the Balaur came at Arthen at full force, another rushed at Tina.

Arthen swiftly whipped out a chain of bright aether that grabbed hold of the balaur charging at the healer and pulled it to him. He kept one at bay with his shield while he fought the other off with his sword.

Tina casted her own magic to keep her comrades from getting fatigued as they continued to fight.

"You'll pay for your meddling here, daevas." A voice in a deep guttural tone behind the priestess.

She gasped and turned but it was too late. One swift swing and she was tossed spinning to the ground. The world around her started to become hazy.

"TINA, NO!" Arthen cut down the last balaur he'd been battling and hurried to the cleric's side.

Innes did the same.

The cleric stared up at the drakan towering over her. Her eyes were instilled with fear and mind numbing pain.

"You will regret thwarting the Naduka legion. It's futile to stop us. Tiamat and Beritra will see to it that Atreia will be restored to its former glory when pathetic humans like you knew your place!"

Tina could only remain helpless as the balaur took one final swing, throwing her into a world of darkness. She laid limp on the ground before the beast.

"No!" Arthen shouted again as he lunged at the balaur with his sword and cut him down to the ground.

Innes hurried to Tina instead.

"How is she?" Arthen inquired.

"Not good," Innes told him.

The knight rushed back to the priestess and gathered her into his arms. "Let's go."

Innes nodded and followed as Arthen rushed back to the refugee village with Tina in his arms.

The guards rushed out when they saw him running back and watched for any enemies that may have followed them back.

Sophie also rushed out to meet Arthen. Her dark eyes filled with concern when she noticed Tina in his arms. "Is she okay?"

Arthen ignored her question. "Do you have a healer here? Anything?"

Sophie nodded and lead him and the mage to one of the tents.

Inside were cots laid out with wounded guards laying in some of them with priests tending to their wounds.

One of them stopped and hurried over to an empty cot. She had long red hair and soft green eyes. "Bring her here."

Arthen hurried over and laid Tina down, careful not to make her injuries worse.

"This is bad," The priestess told them. She turned back to Sophie. "Can you go fetch the Soul Healer?"

She nodded and left the tent.

The healer looked back to Tina. "She would have died had she not been a daeva, but she should be able to recover after the Soul Healer sees to her."

Arthen and Innes both sighed with relief.

A few moments later, the Soul Healer came in behind them, garbed in elaborate dark ceremonial robes. His skin was pale and his hair and eyes were even paler. He saw Tina and frowned as he walked over to her bedside while whispering some kind of prayer or incantation.

The other two waited patiently.

When the Soul Healer was done, he turned to them. "She is only sleeping now. Let her rest and she will be fine when she wakes."

Arthen smiled. "Thank you."

He only nodded and proceeded back outside.

The knight sighed. "We were too careless and Tina had to pay for it."

Innes' gaze fell to the floor. "Yeah."

"The balaur here are no joke," Arthen continued. "It's best if we be more careful from now on. These balaur aren't like the ones we've fought before. They're much more serious."

Innes didn't say anything, but his confidence had been broken. Had he acted faster, this whole situation would have been easily avoided.

"We'll wait until Tina recovers and then we'll report back to Richelle at Gelkmaros Fortress about our progress." Arthen told him. "You can go rest too if you want."

Innes wanted to ask about him too but said nothing. He waited a few more moments debating it before he finally left.

The templar sighed. "I'm sorry, Tina."

* * *

><p>Vince stared blankly at the interior of his capsule for what seemed like hours after many failed attempts of breaking out of it.<p>

He had been stripped of all tools, weapons, and armor.

The assassin let out a sigh and turned to the capsule next to his in which the Elysean general had been imprisoned. It was then that Vince remembered that she and her comrades had also been stripped of all armor and their weapons.

The assassin's eyes wandered when he saw her figure through the translucent plasmic holding cell . His eyes studied her from the chest down until he felt himself get hot. He finally made himself look away, though she didn't seem to have noticed.

The scout exhaled again and tried to focus on escaping. He needed to break the latch on the cell somehow and get rid of the few balaur that were standing guard in the room.

Vince studied the lock again before trying to break it open once more.

The balaur didn't seem to notice his meddling either.

This time he heard a sudden click and the door slowly creaked open. Vince grinned.

He waited until the balaur had turned away for a moment before finally thrusting the door open and sprinting out.

When, the drakan swung around to see that he had escaped, the assassin threw an arm into the air and blinded them with a burst of blinding light magic which emanated from his hand.

The balaur shouted something to one another in balic tongue as they swung blindly at the scout, missing every swing.

Vince smiled as he took one of them down with a sweeping kick, knocking it to the floor. The scout snatched the blunt edged scimitar from its red scaly hands and slayed them one by one as they were incapacitated.

When they all laid dead on the floor, the assassin paused and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. When he looked up, he met the Elyos general's gaze once again. "I have a mission to finish," he told her.

This was his perfect chance to eliminate her and be on his way and he wasn't going to back out now.

The general watched him as he undid the latch and stepped back as the door came open, but she didn't try to escape.

"Do you even know where we are?" Her asmodian tongue was impeccably fluent but her thick accent hit Vince like a truck.

He started to hesitate. "What do you mean? Of course I do. We're in a dredgion in the abyss.." His eyes narrowed and his voice trailed off when he noticed her shaking her head.

"This dredgion was bound for Inggison." She paused. "The balaur further towards the exit could kill you as easily as they could a fly. You can't expect that little trick of yours to keep working for you."

The assassin gritted his teeth. "What are you saying.."

Her gaze pierced him and her tone was even sharper. "Free the rest of my men and I will help you escape. In exchange, I'll spare your life."

He wondered for a moment if had been a trick, but if he were wrong about the balaur, the consequences would be the same.

"You have my word," she told him.

He eyed her wearily for a while longer before he finally complied. He would have to wait for another chance to fulfill his mission, but now it was about survival.

Vince worked swiftly to pick and open the locks of each of the other cells until every last one of her comrades had been freed.

In return, the asmodian got a dozen looks of disdain and repulsion from his white winged nemeses.

The assassin then turned to see the general salvaging what she could from the balaur and their supplies to put together armor and weapons for her troupe that would last them at least until they got to safety. She also picked up a great sword for herself to wield. Finally, she said something to her men again in Elysean and they darted off towards the docking sector.

Without hesitation, Vince followed after them.

Before they knew it, they were confronted by the balaur again.

Atira had been right. These balaur were fiercer than the other ones and there were more of them.

The general commanded her men to attack.

The balaur rushed forward only to find themselves snared or slain.

Vince did what he could to help and darted behind the drakan and tore through them with his sword.

One of the balaur unleashed a grappling chain of aether and pulled Vince to him.

Temporarily unable to move, the enemy grazed the scout deeply across his chest, having no real armor to protect him. He cried out in pain.

The general paused seeing that Vince was in trouble. She debated whether or not she should let him die.

When the scout was able to move again, he dodged the next swing, however, he threw himself right into the way of the next. The blow knocked him hard into the ground.

He braced himself for the pain and closed his eyes tightly shut. All he heard was the unintelligable voices of Elyos and balaur battle cries. It had been a few moments and things started to quiet down. It was then that Vince realized that he was still alive.

The assassin opened his eyes to see Atira standing in front of him with her hand reached out to him.

"Get up," she ordered him.

Vince said nothing. Instead, he took her hand as she pulled him back up to his feet.

"Come on," she told everyone.

Vince nodded and followed along with the rest of her comrades until they reached the exit.

Once outside, Vince realized that they really weren't in the abyss anymore. Before him was a lush landscape and even farther was what looked like a thick mountainous forest.

Seeing that there were no balaur outside of the ship, Atira turned to Vince and held her blade out with the point caressing the bare skin of his neck. Her jade eyes burned into him.

Vince swallowed hard. Was she betraying him now? Chills washed down his spine as he studied her.

But she didn't kill him. "Leave us now," she told him. "I am thankful that you helped me and my men escape. However, the next time I see you, I will have to kill you."

The scout watched her with weary eyes as she withdrew her blade.

She turned back to her men and then they were off again.

The assassin pulled himself together again and hurried off towards the trees in the opposite direction the Elyos were traveling.

It was starting to get dark and Vince had no idea where he was. _Inggison_, he thought. _Am I in Balaurea?_

He wandered on a bit further into the trees until he could carry himself no further. He saw no wild animals about or balaur or Elyos so he figured he was safe at last.

He sighed.

He cleared himself a place to rest a bit and laid himself down. As he laid there, staring up at the trees above, he somehow started to feel lighter and his mind became peaceful and quiet. "What is this place..."


	7. At The Source

**At The Source**

"Arthen. Arthen, wake up."

The templar groaned as he was being shook awake.

"Arthen, come on." It was Innes.

Finally, the knight opened his eyes to see the red head standing over him.

The mage sighed. "About time. Tina is awake now."

"She is?" Arthen sat up and forced himself awake. After a moment, he noticed that it was midday and he had overslept again. It had to have been another restless night.

"Yeah," Innes continued. "She woke up this morning."

"Thank you, Innes." He told him.

The mage nodded and dismissed himself as Arthen got up out of bed.

The knight stretched and rubbed his eyes before finally slipping back into plates of armor. Afterwards, he stepped outside and made his way over to the medic's tent where he found Tina awake and sitting up in her cot.

Tina leaned back against pillows propped up behind her and her hair was messy.

Arthen smiled.

"Arthen..." She started when she saw him, "I'm really sorry.."

His smile faded. "Sorry? Why?"

She shook her head. "That shouldn't have happened, and I worried you..."

"That's nothing to be sorry about," he continued, "It's my job to protect you and I failed. But I promise you that I will never allow for it to happen again."

Tina smiled when she realized the seriousness in his voice and in his eyes. "Thank you," she told him. "But you don't need to worry about me. I'm strong."

"I know you are," he told her.

Her gaze fell down at her bed.

"Hmm?" The templar looked at her questioningly.

"I had the strangest dream," she told him.

"A dream?"

"Yes," she continued. "I had a dream that I was in a dark cave underground. And when I was there, I found this strange light..."

Arthen's forehead wrinkled in thought. "Interesting."

She sighed. "But that's all that I can remember. And there was a voice, but it was foreign and I couldn't understand what it was saying. It was unlike anything I have ever heard before."

"That is strange." Arthen added.

"I don't know," the cleric told him. "Maybe it's just the atmosphere here. Everything is strange."

"Hmm.." Arthen began to wonder if that was the reason behind his trouble sleeping.

Tina frowned.

"So you guys are also sensitive to the flow of aether, I take it?" It was Sophie.

Arthen turned to see her behind him.

"Gelkmaros and Inggison are not like other places in Atreia," she continued. "The aether flows differently here where it is present. It's not known why." She paused. "It must be uncomfortable for you."

"A bit," Arthen stopped. "You must have overheard us talking. Do you know anything about the dream?"

Sophie shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't know anything. You'd have to ask an interpreter."

"Hmm." Arthen turned back to Tina. "How are you feeling?"

"Great," she told him. "A little dizzy, but fine."

The knight smiled. "You think that you can come with us back to the fort so we can report back to Richelle and possibly get you a real bed to rest in?"

"I think that I'll be fine. My energy is coming back to me." She told him. "Just a little soul sickness is all."

"If you say so," Arthen told her. "Can you stand?"

She nodded. "I think so." She paused. "Just give me a few minutes to get dressed and get my things, and I'll be right out."

The templar nodded and slipped back outside.

While waiting on the cleric, Arthen noticed that there were decorations being set up and the cooks were extra busy preparing food and nice aromas filled the air. It smelled of roasted creslitch and sweet ginseng root. Then he remembered that this village had festivals every month and today must have been the next one.

Sophie laughed. "I forgot to tell you. You guys are free to join us if you want."

Arthen turned to see her behind him again.

"We decided to move it to tonight to celebrate what you guys did for us and the village." She paused. "Even if not directly, but you pushed back the balaur who threatened to terrorize this village." She smiled. "And for that, we are thankful."

"I see," Arthen told her.

"Will you stay?" She asked.

"I think that we can be back before this evening."

"We can," Innes interrupted. He came up behind the two. "There is a direct flight transit between here and Gelkmaros fortress, so we can."

"That's great!" Sophie exclaimed. "There will be music, and games, and food of course!"

Arthen smiled.

"Are we ready?" It was Tina.

The templar looked at her who had just stepped out of the tent behind Sophie. She looked a little pale, but otherwise fine.

"You sure you want to come along?" He asked.

"Don't push yourself," Innes told her.

Tina nodded.

Alright then," the templar said.

The three headed to the northeast side of the camp where they used the aetheric flight device to fly their way back to the fortress where they met with Richelle again.

Richelle saw them right away as they walked in. She lit up, her pale blue eyes filled with expectation.

"We sabotaged the balic drana growing devices and replaced them with aetheric generators with Farbin's help." Arthen told her.

"That's good news," The general started. "We've extended Asmodae's reach with your efforts. I am impressed. Vidar chose well."

Arthen said nothing.

"But..." She continued, "Some of our generators still aren't working for some reason." She paused. "Could you look into it maybe?"

"We could." Arthen told her.

She nodded and sighed. "The only lead that we have is that the generator just north of here is the most affected. It doesn't seem to be producing much aether at all, but we can't figure out what might be causing it."

"We can check it out," Arthen said. "We'll let you know if we find out anything."

Richelle smiled. "Thank you. I would have sent someone else but we're short on asmodians to send out on this sort of thing. But here." She handed him a small cloth satchet full of coins. "Your payment for aiding us."

"Thank you," he told her.

She nodded and glanced back at Tina and Innes. "The generator is just north of here if you follow the path. There is an encampment by the waterfall and the generator is close by. I have a feeling that there might be something around there that is affecting it. Our research team is stumped."

Arthen nodded.

"Report back soon." She told them as they were dismissed.

As they started to head back out into the open area of the fortress, Arthen looked over at Tina. "Are you sure that you're feeling alright?"

She smiled. "Yes, Arthen. You worry too much."

"Yeah.." He laughed. "I know. Sorry about that."

"So," Innes butted in. "Are we going to check it out now or later?"

Arthen paused for a moment. "It's not too urgent so I think we can wait a bit. Plus Tina still hasn't gotten her full strength back so-."

"Okay, cool." The mage rushed off to the aetheric flight kiosk.

The templar sighed.

Tina laughed.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to spend the rest of the evening at Rhonnam and head out tomorrow." He looked at the cleric and smiled.

Tina nodded. "Sophie will be expecting us to be there, so I think that we should."

His smile faded. "If you want to rest, I think that you should," he told her. "I think that you'd be more comfortable here at the fortress, actually. You might be able to rest better in a real bed with proper care."

"I'd rather be where you are." She told him.

Her words caught him by surprise. He hesitated to speak. "I can stay."

"No, don't do that." She told him. "Stop worrying so much." She smiled.

"I see.." He paused for a moment. "Let's go then."

The two headed off finally behind Innes to make their way back to the refugee village. It had been a few hours since they had left and when they had arrived, Sophie greeted them again.

"You're just in time!" She told them.

They had already started and there was already the upbeat melody of a flute in the air while everyone was eating and drinking and having a good time.

It wasn't much longer until the sun was starting to set and candles and hanging lights were lit. When the night came, a beautiful waxing moon hung clearly overhead the trees and creating a truly beautiful sight.

At the same time, things were starting to quiet down.

Tina didn't have the energy to participate much in anything, but she enjoyed the food and the music.

Sophie brought Tina some roasted Stria and ale and sat next to her by one of the camp fires.

"Thank you." Tina smiled. "I don't know how you can do this every month."

Sophie laughed. "Fun isn't it? We normally wait until the moon is full, but this month was an exception for you guys."

"That's amazing," Tina told her.

Sophie smiled sweetly. "I hope you are feeling better."

"Much better," she told her. "I think that after I get some sleep tonight I should completely recover."

"That's good." Sophie said as she took a few bites out of her food. "So that dream that you had," she continued. "Have you been able to remember anything else about it?"

"I haven't." Tina told her. "I haven't really thought about it. I didn't think it was important."

"You never know," Sophie told her. "It might be some kind of message. I hear about stuff like that all the time."

Tina looked into the campfire and exhaled. "I was just underground somewhere. It was dark and cold, but I heard a strange voice and I followed it. It ended up leading to a strange wall with light emanating from it. When I touched it, it grew brighter and the voice was louder, and then I woke up."

"That is strange." Sophie's dark eyes narrowed in thought. "I've heard of tales from the Reians here about similar things like that."

"You have?" Tina looked over at her.

"Yes." Sophie frowned. "But the things I have heard have been rather terrifying."

The cleric listened.

"People talk about forbidden things. Tales about _Aion's secret_ and stone giants that protect it. Most are just tales, though." She paused to take another bite of her food. "No one has actually seen anything like that."

"I see." Tina's gaze fell back to the ground.

"Even the balaur believe in such tales, and it's said that is why they are here in Gelkmaros looking for it. Whatever it is."

Tina remained silent in thought, trying to force herself to remember more but it was futile. The more she tried to remember, the more she would start to forget it seemed.

"I don't know any interpreters personally. You could possibly asked some of the natives around here. Perhaps they might know something."

"I might do that," Tina finally said. "I am interested now after you shared that with me."

Sophie nodded.

"Hey." It was Arthen.

Tina looked up when she saw the templar walking over to them.

He seated himself on the other side on Tina and smiled. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"You're not." Tina told him. "Where is Innes?"

"No idea," Arthen replied. "He was feeling sick when I saw him last. He probably ate too much."

"I see." Tina smiled.

Sophie also smiled and pulled herself up to her feet. "I'll leave you two."

"Thank you for telling me all of that," Tina told her.

Sophie nodded and hurried off.

Arthen raised an eyebrow in curiosity but didn't say anything.

"We were talking about my dream," she told him.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I'm thinking about asking around about it to see if it means something." She told him.

"I'm really curious about that, myself." He told her. "Let me know what you find out."

She smiled but didn't say anything. She was starting to really feel tired and didn't really have much to say. "I think I'm going to go to sleep." She told him.

"You should." He said.

She nodded and stood up. "I'll see you in the morning, Arthen."

"Sleep well." He watched her for a moment before turning back around. His gaze drifted off into the campfire.

* * *

><p>"Just great." Vince groaned and let out a heavy sigh as he threw his weight against a nearby tree.<p>

The sun was setting and he was in the middle of nowhere in what he was sure was Elyos territory. His only chance of making it back home would be through some kind of rift.

Atreia was a hollow planet. Asmodae and Elysea resided within on opposite sides held together by a sacrifice that froze space and time. Balaurea was the land outside of this world. This meant that unless he was lucky, he would be stuck here.

And as a daeva without an obelisk to bind his immortal soul to, the danger was far greater.

Vince stared up at the sky for a moment before continuing through the woods. He had no idea where it might lead him. He only followed the source of the strange vibration he was receiving, hoping that maybe it would lead him to safety. The farther he walked, the more his fatigue started to vanish.

Vince froze at the sound of plants rustling behind him.

He turned and sighed to see that it was only a little animal. There seemed to be more creatures the farther he went as well. He wondered if he was on sacred ground.

He kept going until he came upon what looked like a clearing.

Vince stopped to look around. He heard the sound of crashing water in the distance, but what caught his attention more was the great tree before him. It was tall, beautiful, ancient, and definitely sacred.

Vince stared at the tree in awe before being startled by a voice shouting in a dialect alien to him.

Vince turned to see a young man with pale hair, eyes, and skin. He was clad in chain armor and wielded a wooden staff in his hands.

The boy shouted at him again, as if he were challenging him.

Vince wondered at first if he was an elyos. He looked like one. However, Vince didn't hesitate to draw his weapon, the balic scimitar he'd salvaged on the dredgion.

When he did, the boy's eyes widened at the sight of it and dashed off into the trees.

_He's running to get help._ Vince thought. The assassin gave quick pursuit after the boy to stop him.

"I'm not letting you get away." Vince chased him through the trees as fast as he could. Branches and thorns tore at his skin as he followed recklessly while the boy was agile and familiar with these parts.

Just as the scout started gaining on him, an arrow shot the assassin right in the shoulder, sending him stumbling to the ground.

Vince swore when he looked up and saw that other hairless humans were standing over him.

They wasted no time removing him of his weapon and apprehending him.

Vince felt helpless. He wasn't going to be able to get out of this one either.

They brought him to what looked like a small encampment, a village.

The assassin realized right away that all of these people had pale hair and colorless eyes.

These weren't Elyos.

The people of the village stared in fear and disgust when they saw him.

When they arrived, his captors tossed him forward into the ground before them.

Vince tried to pull himself up but it was useless to try. His head and body throbbed with nauseating pain.

For a moment, they exchanged words in their language. Their words were soft and even archaic sounding.

Finally one of the men from the village approached him.

Vince stared up at him wearily.

"Why are you here?" The man asked him in perfect asmodian.

Vince sighed and answered honestly. "Looking for a way to get back home."

"You a spy?" The man inquired again.

Vince shook his head. "I'm not.. a spy." He tried to pull himself up again.

One of the other men spat and kicked Vince hard in the chest, sending him spinning back to the ground.

The scout grunted and whimpered in agonizing pain.

The other man spoke again. "You wear the armor and weapons of our enemy. You were seen in Taloc's garden. Do not lie to me."

Vince couldn't move. Some kind of poison was coursing through his veins and the blow to his chest only served to make it worse. The assassin tried to speak but only found himself coughing up blood.

The villagers stared at him and at his armor. They must have thought that he sided with the balaur.

Vince finally picked himself up again and spoke. "I was captured and brought here by the balaur. They took away my weapons and my armor. I used what I could to escape. Don't be deceived by it. I'm not your enemy."

The man listened to him. "The balaur is your enemy?"

Vince nodded.

He grimaced and remained silent for a time before speaking. "I believe you."

Some of the villagers exhaled with distaste and disapproval. One of them being the boy from before.

Vince, however, was relieved.

The man studied him for a bit longer. "Asmodians are not our enemy. We will not involve ourselves in whatever rivalries your kind bears. If you are not an ally to the kin of the drakan, then you are not our enemy."

The assassin said nothing.

The man continued. "I will send someone to take you back to your homeland. You are not wanted here."

Vince nodded. "I understand." He hesitated. "Thank you."

The man turned to the others and spoke to them in their language.

A few of them acknowledged him and left his side.

The man turned back to the scout. "You can rest here tonight, but you must leave in the morning."

Vince smiled a half smile but said nothing.

Minutes later, the others returned with food and proper clothing and cleaned his wounds.

Vince felt shocked by their hospitality, but he was thankful. However, he said nothing.

"Zihark." The man turned.

The boy responded.

"You will leave with him in the morning. Take this asmodian to the other side."

The boy strongly detested. He shouted angrily in their language but was swiftly silenced by the other man's piercing glare.

The man turned back to Vince and said nothing and walked away.

The assassin sighed and forced down what food he could. He couldn't remember when the last time it was that he'd eaten.

It was late and soon, the night started to set in.

Vince continued to get odd stares from the people there. It was more than clear that no one approved of the man's decision.

Vince wondered if maybe he was some kind of leader. He also realized that the boy bared some resemblance to him.

The assassin continued to conjure all sorts of unanswered questions about this place.

However, though he was lost earlier, he felt like something had been guiding him. He remembered that tree. _Was it possible that could have been it?_

He remained silent and asked no questions. After he'd eaten and clothed himself, he kept to himself.

Vince stared up at the sky at the bright near full moon overhead. He wondered if Tina might be looking up at it too.

_Maybe we'll meet eachother soon,_ he thought.

* * *

><p>Hours passed as the night sky still loomed overhead.<p>

Arthen couldn't sleep.

The uneasiness in the air plagued him again as he tossed and turned in his cot, eventually forcing him to remain awake on his back, staring up at the ceiling of the tent.

Innes, however, was fast asleep in his own bed against the other side of their quarters and snoring loudly.

Arthen sighed and sat himself up for a moment and dressed himself. He got up and left outside for a while to relax.

The village was quiet and serene now. The only sounds were the chirping of insects from the trees and the footsteps of patrolling soldiers.

The templar ventured outside the village gates down the path heading east through the forest. The sight was beautiful.

The path wrapped around a pristine pond of water with lilies floating on the surface. Giant moonflowers bloomed at the water's edge and illuminated the ground with an iridescent glow.

Arthen continued on down the road through the trees. He stopped now and again to look around him.

Giant Mamuts, creatures with large legs and a large trunk for a nose stood on either side of the path, sleeping with their young standing beneath them.

Other little creatures scurried across the ground as the knight headed down the path.

Arthen ended up coming to what looked like a large stone gate at the end of the path guarded by some of Asmodae's most elite soldiers.

They paid him almost no mind as he passed through.

The templar continued on exploring down the trail and gazing at the animals and the plants all around. He kept going until he heard what seemed like the sound of a waterfall. He had remembered seeing some flying back and forth between the fortress and the village and wanted to get a closer look.

He followed the sound which indeed lead to a giant waterfall. Water poured down from the hills that overlooked the forest. The waterfall flooded across the path and over another ledge and crashed down into a small canyon below. The templar walked over to the ledge and peered down.

The aether was rich here and the atmosphere felt almost normal.

Relaxed, Arthen leaned forward and stretched large ebon wings and flew down over the waterfall.

It was beautiful. The water ran down over the rocks and flooded the canyon's cavity.

Arthen flew lower until he noticed a small island in the middle of the water. On the island was one of their aetheric generators.

The templar flew over and landed by the device to get a closer look. He wondered if this was the generator that was having problems, though it seemed to be working fine.

He ran his hands over the generator's surface when he noticed something strange.

It definitely wasn't producing much aether. However, it had to have stopped working recently.

Arthen looked around him for a moment, studying the moonflowers and other creatures scurrying about, though he saw nothing that could have caused it to malfunction.

Ksellid turtles eyed him curiously from the water as he stood there. Their backs were covered with strange mushrooms that glowed the same iridescent glow as the flowers.

Arthen spread his wings again and flew up high onto a ledge overlooking the generator to get a better look around. The ledge winded up and around. Trees and moonflowers grew freely where he was standing.

The templar started to feel tired again and wondered if he should start to head back. There was no telling how late it was now. He sighed and leaned back against what looked like a giant root that had sprouted up from the ground. Arthen looked around but he couldn't see what it could have belonged to. He figured that it was the remnant of some ancient tree. There were several places where they came up from the ground.

He stood there for a moment until he heard something rustling in the bushes near him and he turned to see what it was.

He gasped when he caught the glimpse of a strange blue toned creature sprinting off further into the trees. It didn't look like anything that he'd ever seen before. It was small with a rounded head and a tiny body. It had pale azure tendrils for arms and legs.

Curious now, the knight chased after it. He followed it up the ledge and through the wood before it disappeared into the trees again.

Arthen paused for a moment to look around when he felt the ground beneath him give.

He found himself plummeting into a hollow chasm. The shock of the fall quickly faded into agonizing pain when he crashed into the surface beneath him.

_What the..._The templar couldn't move. He gazed up at the strange azure creature standing over him as his body became overcome with weakness and his vision faded to darkness.


	8. The Corruption Within

**The Corruption Within**

Vince frowned as he stared up at the sky.

The light was dim as the sun was just starting to rise and the sky was covered with a thick gray overcast.

Zihark and Vince had already left the village and were on their way to _the other side._

Vince wore a thick light colored woven cloak and hood over his body to hide his Asmodian features from Elysean passerbys as they traveled back through the forest. The assassin sighed and stared blankly at the boy guiding him. "So what are you supposed to be?" He asked finally.

The boy ignored him completely and continued moving forward.

Vince raised an eyebrow. _I wonder if he even speaks asmodian..._ He thought. "I really appreciate the help."

Zihark turned his head and glared at Vince briefly but said nothing.

"Alright then! Alright then, I get it." Vince sighed. "You can't talk, but that's okay. I just wanted you to know, that's all-"

"Will you please shut up?" The boy finally told him in perfect asmodian.

"Oh." Vince was speechless for a moment. "So you can talk?" He smiled.

Zihark groaned. "Be quiet before someone hears you or else we'll both be in big trouble."

Vince remembered the fact that he was still in Elyos territory and that the boy definitely had a point.

The two continued on in silence.

They passed through the trees which were still lush and green even when the air was cold. Flowers and mushrooms also littered the ground, both big and small.

They were almost out of the forest when Zihark stopped.

Vince looked at him patiently as the boy stared into the air contemplatively.

The boy muttered something in his language before heading back the way they came.

_Great, now we're lost._ The scout wrapped his cloak around himself tighter and continued to follow wearily.

The two continued until they came to the clearing of that giant tree again.

Zihark rushed up to it and looked all around.

The assassin watched him curiously as the boy mumbled something inaudible. "Is something wrong?"

The boy shot a glare back at the asmodian. "Shhh."

"Okay then.." The scout withdrew to himself.

The boy stared up at the tree anxiously. He looked down and around but didn't seem to find what he was looking for. "Taloc is not well." He finally said.

"Eh?" Vince stared up at the tree. "The tree?"

The boy nodded. "He is the voice of Aion and the guardian of this forest."

The scout raised an eyebrow. "The what, now?"

The boy looked around before speaking again. "Stay out here. I need to check on something."

Vince's mouth hung open for a moment. "What, you can't leave me out here!"

Zihark glared back at him in silence.

"You know... Elyos and all of that?" Vince reminded him.

The boy sighed. "Taloc does not allow strangers to enter. I will only be a moment."

Vince exhaled as he watched the boy climb into a crevice within the tree's roots. He gazed up and around before he noticed small flakes of snow falling slowly from the sky.

_Just great._ The assassin pulled his cloak even tighter against his skin.

The Reian boy continued into the tree until he was inside.

Moss covered the ground and the inner walls. Glowing mushrooms and clusters of aether illuminated the inside along with light peering in from the outside.

The boy continued to go deeper as insects scurried away at the sight of him.

He couldn't see anything that would be the cause of the disturbance that he felt so suddenly. The boy kept going until he noticed another tunnel littered with spider webs.

The boy swatted the webs away from his face and ventured farther. He stopped a moment and ran a hand over the wooden walls.

_You're dying..._ Zihark frowned. _But why...? _

He knelt down and gathered some of the soil from the ground and let it run out through his fingers. After a moment he looked around again.

The insects watched him curiously behind growths and mushrooms.

The boy shook the rest of the dirt off his hands before continuing on. He was lost and clueless until something did catch his eye.

A tiny blue creature peered at him from down the tunnel way in the next alcove.

"What the hell?" Zihark eyed it curiously before drawing his staff from its place on his back and slowly approached it.

The little creature watched him for another moment before sprinting off into the next hall.

The boy's eyes narrowed with disconcertion as he chased after it.

The creature lead him further along before finally stopping at a dead end and turned around.

The boy rushed to catch up to it when a mass of long azure tendrils thrust from the walls in front of him and cut him off and stopping him right in his tracks.

Zihark's eyes widened. "What in the name of Aion is this?"

After a moment of hesitation, the boy hacked at the tendrils with his staff to force himself passage through.

After a moment of the beating, they quickly retreated back into the wall.

The boy, however, continued to stand there dumbfounded, staring at the creature peering at him from the other side and at the wall.

Finally, the Reian took another step forward.

When he did, the tendrils plunged back out of the wall and snatched the boy up into the air and against the wall, constricting him.

The boy swore when his staff fell out of his hands onto the ground.

He couldn't move and this thing was threatening to crush him alive.

The creature felt slimy and its body pulsated with aether that the tree did not have.

_Some kind of... parasite?_ The Reian wondered for only a moment.

He cried out in pain when the tendrils constricted him harder, crushing him.

The boy shut his eyes tightly to brace himself for the pain. He couldn't breathe. He thought that he was going to die.

After another moment, however, he felt himself torn free and falling to the ground when someone almost materialized from the shadows and cut through the tendrils with the blunt edge of a blade.

It was Vince.

The boy gazed up at him, gasping for air and hardly believing what he was seeing. After another moment, his face became twisted with annoyance. "Why are you here?"

The assassin looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be thanking me right now? I just saved your life didn't I?"

The boy hissed and grabbed his staff as he pulled himself up again. "So you were following me this entire time."

Vince wore a devious look on his face. "So what are you checking on, exactly?"

The boy's angry expression faded into a melancholy one as his gaze fell on the remnants of the tendrils. "I don't know what's wrong. Taloc is very ill." He hesitated. "I have to do something."

The assassin tilted his head. "What will you do? Should we go back for help?"

The boy looked back at Vince and sighed. "It was my job to protect this tree. I don't understand how this could have happened without me noticing something..."

"Your job?" Vince asked.

The boy looked away from him diffidently. "Many years ago, Taloc saved my life when I was in danger. I left with the life that I was allowed to keep and went back to the village and swore I'd protect it. The balaur took my sister away and tried to kill me, but I was spared." He paused. "And I am sure my sister is alive out there somewhere too."

"Wait." Vince lit up. "Your sister?"

The boy nodded and his face grew longer. "It's not uncommon. The Reian people are shrinking in number because of the Balaur exterminating us and capturing our people and putting them under their control."

"So that's what you are?" The scout asked. "Reian?"

"Yes," Zihark told him. "This place has been our home for a very long time. Even before Elyos and Asmodians arrived here not all that long ago." He paused. "But your kind came too late and most of our kind have already been almost completely diminished."

"I see." Vince continued. "So this tree. What's special about it?"

The boy looked up finally. "Taloc was a tree that lived long before the cataclysm. He is both ancient and wise." Zihark told him. "When the tower of eternity shattered, a fragment of the tower found itself in his roots. It is because of this that he has grown so colossal and why he knows the will of Aion."

"The will of Aion, huh?" Vince frowned. "Interesting."

The boy shook his head. "But he needs our help. I think we can handle this on our own. We just need to find the source of the infection."

The assassin nodded. "I'm right behind you," he told him.

Zihark nodded. "Thank you." The boy turned back to the little blue creature still staring at them from the other end of the hall. With nowhere for it to run, the boy lunged forward at it with his staff.

The boy missed utterly when the creature dashed from beneath his feet and disappeared into the crevice from which the tendrils sprang.

Vince laughed.

Annoyed, Zihark sighed but said nothing. The Reian continued back towards where he came with the assassin following behind him.

The two continued down another tunnel which eventually separated into many other tunnels.

The scout scratched his head. "Is this place some kind of maze? We're going to be in here forever."

"Hmm." The boy looked around for a moment before continuing forward.

The next room they were in was littered with silk cocoons and webs that hung from the ceiling.

"Disgusting..." Vince remarked at the surroundings.

Zihark frowned. It appeared that Taloc was infested with more than just parasites.

The boy walked up to one of the cocoons and studied it for a moment before his eyes widened and his skin ran pale.

"Eh?" Vince raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

The Reian swallowed hard. "These are people in these cocoons."

"What!" Vince started. "How?"

"I don't know." Zihark started. "But they don't seem like they're alive."

The assassin walked up beside him and looked over all of the cocoons. After a moment of hesitation, he cut through one of them with his scimitar and spilled its contents.

A Reian warrior fell out and onto the ground, though he didn't look like he was breathing.

Zihark knelt down and checked for a pulse before finally looking up at Vince and shaking his head.

The assassin frowned and cut through another and then another.

The results were all the same until they heard a voice from one in the back of the room.

The two paused for a moment and looked at eachother before they dashed to the back and Vince hacked open one of the cocoons.

It was another Reian warrior. He had pale eyes and very short pale hair.

The man fell out onto his knees and panted and coughed as he was finally free.

Zihark quickly knelt down beside him and put an arm around him. "Are you alright? Can you tell us what happened here?"

The man paused for a moment and looked around him and then at Zihark. "Everyone else... Are they..?" He spoke in Reian.

Zihark shook his head.

The man's gaze fell back to the ground in silence. "We were sent in here on an expedition and it ended badly." He paused. "Giant insects overwhelmed us and, well..." The man grew silent again and dug his fingers into the ground beneath them.

"Stay strong," Zihark told him. "We'll get you out of here."

The man nodded.

"Does he have a name?" Vince asked aloud.

The Reian man looked over at the scout. "Engeius." He told him.

"Oh good, you can understand me." Vince told him.

He nodded again.

Zihark sighed and looked around and then back at Vince. We should keep going.

Vince acknowledged him and went ahead of him and the other Reian.

Zihark turned to Engeius. "Can you stand?"

"I can," He told him. The Reian proceeded to pick himself up.

"Let's go." Zihark continued forward with the warrior behind him.

The three continued on into the next alcove.

As they entered, they all heard the sound of the wood creaking behind them.

They all looked around in unison to see that the way they came in was completely blocked off by a sudden growth of vines and foliage.

"What the?" Vince stared for a moment and looked back at Zihark. "What's the meaning of this?"

But Zihark wasn't paying any attention to him. He was too occupied with what was in front of them.

Vince turned back around to see what looked like a giant parasitic worm standing before them. It's mouth bared razor sharp teeth and it didn't look friendly.

The assassin sighed. "Well, isn't this lovely."

* * *

><p>"Nothing? At all?" Tina frowned.<p>

Sophie shook her head. "The patrol said that he left sometime last night but no one has any clue as to where he could have gone."

"Hmm." Innes scratched his head. "Maybe he couldn't sleep again and went for a walk...and got lost?"

Tina sighed. "Idiot. He'd probably do something like that too."

Sophie said nothing.

"Look," The red head continued. "We can go searching for him or ask around. Someone is bound to have saw him somewhere further up the road."

"Maybe." Tina's gaze fell to the ground.

"Alright" Innes started. "Let's go."

"Be careful." Sophie told them.

Tina nodded and her and the mage headed off.

The weather was a little cold today, but relatively nice for asmodians.

Tina finally got all of her strength back, though she wondered why if it wasn't one thing, it was another. First her, now something might have happened to Arthen. Her skin ran pale at the very thought.

"Don't worry so much, Tina." The mage told her. "Even if something did happen, Arthen is strong. He can take care of himself."

The cleric smiled a half smile, now somewhat relieved. "I guess you're right."

The two continued down the path until they came to a large gate guarded by Asmodian soldiers.

Tina rushed over to them. "Any of you wouldn't have happened to see someone pass through here late last night would you?"

Most of the guards looked at her but said nothing.

Finally, one of them answered. "Yes, an asmodian did come through here last night. Don't recall anyone else. Why?"

Tina continued. "We're looking for someone. He's rather tall, blue hair, and I'm sure he was wearing his armor."

"Sounds like him," the guard replied.

The cleric smiled. "Thanks for the help!"

The two passed through and headed farther down the path.

They came to a giant waterfall where they stopped to look around.

"This place is amazing. I've never seen anything like it." The cleric gazed up and around as ksellids eyed her from the water.

Innes didn't seem to be paying any attention. He followed the water to the ledge and looked over.

Tina walked up beside him and frowned.

The mage sighed. "I wonder if he'll come back if we just wait?"

Tina tilted her head. "Wait?"

"Yeah," Innes continued. "Back at the village."

"Oh." She looked down at the ground. "Maybe." She sighed. _You better be alright..._

* * *

><p>Arthen's vision was hazy at first. As he was regaining consciousness, he felt his body completely constricted and the feeling of what seemed like hairs tickling his arms and neck. His head was spinning.<p>

When his vision finally came back to him, so did the realization that he was trapped. Half of his body was cemented in place by sticky hardening insect fluid.

Arthen gasped when he saw his captor before him, a giant arachnid.

Immediately, the templar fought to break himself free. He managed to get an arm free and swatted at the spider instinctively.

The arachnid reeled back, hissing at the sudden inconvenience before baring its fangs. They dripped with venom.

The templar struggled to break himself free with no luck. He swore and panicked.

The arachnid lunged at him and sunk its fangs into exposed flesh.

Arthen gritted his teeth. He stood there for a brief moment before finally smashing the spider against himself and dropping it to the floor. He quickly worked to brush off any remnants that stuck to him.

The poison burned his body like fire. He took a moment to gather his stamina before finally wriggling free from the spider's silk.

He paused for a moment and looked around himself. _Where the hell am I?_

The walls were made of wood, some covered with dirt and moss. It appeared to be some kind of insect nest he'd fallen into. He needed to find a way out. Tunnels and alcoves ran in every direction.

He sighed, but he knew that he wasn't going to make it out standing in one spot.

The templar headed forward, ignoring his wounds and the poison. As he made it down the tunnel, more insects gathered to watch him. Spiders, worms, beetles, and flies. Giant ones.

Arthen drew his sword and shield and prepared himself for an engagement.

They charged at him almost fearlessly as he swung his sword, hacking away at them. They died easily, but they seemed to come at him endlessly, from the walls and out of the ground.

Arthen gagged at the sight of it. He felt himself grow weaker and fatigued.

They started to overwhelm him.

He felt himself fall to the ground. Tiny jaws and stingers scratched at his skin as more fiery poison seeped in. He wondered if he was going to die here in this place.

He whispered a quiet incantation that surrounded himself with an impenetrable shield, but even then, he wasn't sure how long it would last as his strength was being sapped away by the poison.

He shut his eyes closed as tightly as he could and dug his hands into the ground.

_Fight._

Now he was losing it.

_Fight._ He heard it again.

The templar looked up to see a small red bead materialize in front of him. Desperate and curious, he grasped it tightly in his hands.

_Fight._

Almost instantly, a destructive wave of energy pulsated from his body, sending the predators spinning and lifeless.

The hollow grew silent. No more chattering and hissing of insects.

Arthen felt his consciousness start to fade again. He was dying.

He really thought he was losing it when he saw the ethereal outline of an elim standing before him. He gazed up at it but said nothing.

The tree spirit also said nothing for a moment, but offered him a strange looking fruit.

_Eat this and destroy the corruption in my boughs. It will unleash latent power within._

The templar took the fruit in his hand and studied it before looking back up again.

The Elim was gone.

Arthen didn't hesitate any longer and did as he was instructed. As he ate the fruit, he did indeed become stronger. His strength returned to him and the effect of the poison dissipated from his body.

The azule haired knight picked himself up with his new found strength. Then he looked at his body. Thick wooden armor materialized over his body and leaves sprouted from his arms and legs and he had become giant.

_Hurry._

Arthen nodded before finally continuing forward again. He felt invincible.

He realized that he must have been inside a giant tree. _The corruption in my boughs..._

Arthen needed to go higher.

The knight hurried off down the tunnels ahead of him and made his way up the winding path.


	9. Reunion

**Reunion**

Zihark and Vince drew their weapons as they gazed at the parasitic worm monster hissing and flailing before them.

It's body was covered in thick crimson colored armor and possessed a stream of azure tendrils coming out of its posterior end.

After studying the parasite for a moment, the assassin grinned. "Easy." He turned to the others. "Keep me alive and let me do all of the hard work."

Zihark nodded.

As soon as Vince took a single step forward, the beast sprinted toward him with hundreds of sharp teeth bared.

The assassin parried its thrust with his scimitar and waited for an opening to strike while Zihark's spellbinding chants gave him strength.

The worm thrust forward at the scout again, harder this time.

Vince blocked the blow again with his scimitar, but the force knocked him backwards.

The worm hissed and knocked the blade away from its head. It lunged at him again.

Vince jumped out of its way and swung his sword hard at its back.

Its armor was impenetrable.

The rogue breathed a curse when it jerked back around and flailed at him again.

The parasite struck him hard in his left shoulder, grinding sharp teeth into him.

Vince cried out and swung his sword to stab at the thing until he was relinquished.

The pain was unbearable and blood soaked through his clothes.

The scout stood there for a moment to catch his breath and letting the Reian boy's magic soothe his wounds.

But before he could recover, the parasite tackled Vince again to the floor and lunged itself at his face.

The assassin rolled out of the way of each proceeding strike until finally he wedged his blade into the creature's mouth and through the top of its head.

It reeled back, hissing and screeching. It flailed wildly while the scout made it back onto his feet.

"Guys..." Engeius hesitated in fear.

Vince and Zihark turned to see what looked like more insects crawling up out of the ground and down from the walls. What looked like poisonous smoke rised into the air from the new openings they created in the ground.

The rogue grimaced. _Well, that's not good..._

Zihark turned to the other Reian. "Engeius, can you fight?"

He nodded. "I think I can."

"Good," the boy continued. "Help me fight these off." He turned to Vince at last and whispered another incantation.

Vince felt his strength returning to him again as the beast came at him enraged and in agonizing pain.

The scout stepped back and repeatedly had to jump out of the way to evade each blind strike.

Engeius fought with sword and shield in hand, cutting down the insects.

Zihark swung his own weapon to lessen their numbers, keeping them away from the assassin who was fighting to stay alive. _Only a little while longer..._

Vince had to think of something fast.

The monster screeched and flailed again, whipping its tail hard until it hit the scout hard in his middle, knocking him backwards.

Vince felt the wind knocked out of him as he hit the ground. Even worse, he couldn't breathe. He had landed next to one of the poisonous vents and the smoke burned his eyes and nose. He immediately shielded his face with his arm and rolled away from it as the parasite approached him again.

As it approached him, the poison continued to rise up, engulfing both of them.

Vince found himself backed into a corner. He shielded his face and coughed. He looked around for a way out, but there was no escaping from it this time.

The parasite only came at him for a moment before it hissed and convulsed in pain.

The poison was burning through its thick armor.

Vince took the chance and reached for the sword that was lodged in its jaws and tore it out.

The creature reeled back from the pain.

Vince didn't hesitate as he dashed behind the foe and cut through its unshielded body.

The slain parasite fell limp to the floor before him.

The assassin also fell to his knees in exhaustion.

The Reians finished the last of the insects in the room and everything fell silent.

Zihark rushed over to Vince to tend to his wounds.

Vince winced when the chanter peeled his clothing back away from his shoulder. The scout stared up at the ceiling while the Reian cleaned and wrapped his wound. After a moment, his gaze fell on the other Reian in the room who was staring at him curiously.

Engeius looked away.

Vince raised an eyebrow before Zihark was done and got up again.

The boy sighed and looked ahead at a new passage that had opened towards the front of the room. "Let's keep going."

The assassin nodded and wearily lifted himself up and continued after the other two Reians.

They continued on the path which winded up and around through the ancient tree's roots.

Vince glanced at Engeius and Zihark and then up and around.

The sun's rays shined brightly from the outside through tangled foliage. The sound of birds and other animals was audible from the overworld. The surroundings were also greener and clearer.

The rogue swore he could hear the sound of running water before they all came to a stop as they entered the next room.

The Reian boy looked around for a moment before they continued up the winding path up and around through the tree.

Vince gazed up and around. There was, indeed, water coursing through in streams within Taloc. While some were clean and pristine, others were contaminated with poison. _This place is massive..._ Vince thought. _It's like a fortress._

The path was clear and there were next to no insects scurrying around, yet something didn't feel right.

As they continued, something caught Vince's eye. He noticed one of those azure creatures darting across the path behind them. No one else seemed to have noticed. They only continued up the path.

Suddenly, a large azure tendril lunged out from the wall next to them and knocked Engeius backwards off of the edge.

Zihark swung around but wasn't fast enough.

Vince, however, managed to grab hold of the Reian's arm before he had fallen with his left hand. The distance down was a long ways. The scout winced from the pain from his injury.

The other Reian swung his staff hard against the tendrils until they finally retracted back into the wall.

The scout finally pulled Engeius back up again and sighed.

"We need to be careful," Zihark told them. "I have a feeling that we are getting closer to the primary infection."

Engeius and Vince nodded. However, the assassin felt especially weary. His shoulder throbbed with pain. He had to try not to make it any worse before they got out of here.

The trio continued along the path until they entered another alcove. It was dark and the smell was putrid and obnoxious.

The room was filled with insect eggs and cocoons. Webs hung low from the ceiling.

"Well," Vince started. "This is disgusting."

Zihark didn't say anything. Instead he walked up to the cocoons to see if any of them contained living people, but it didn't seem like it.

Engeius stood at the back of the room while Vince looked around.

It didn't seem like the room lead anywhere.

The Reian boy ran his hand along the surface of one of the eggs when he noticed that it was moving. He jerked his hand back when he also noticed that they were starting to hatch. "Uh.."

Vince turned. "Hmm?" Then he also noticed what was happening.

Zihark stepped back and watched next to Vince and Engeius as what looked like giant wasps were breaking and crawling out from their eggs. There had to have been a dozen of them.

Engeius drew his sword while Vince dashed ahead of them to engage.

The Reian boy began chanting mantras again while the other stepped up to fight next to Vince.

Thankfully, they were only babies and they died quickly.

After they cut down the last one, Vince noticed that azure creature again watching them from outside the alcove. After hesitating a moment, he sprinted after it to catch it this time.

The creature darted off again but before it could make it too far, the rogue caught it and cut it down at last. It fell limp to the floor.

Vince sighed and turned back around, but before he could head back, another creature ran up behind him and tackled him in the legs, sending him stumbling over the edge.

Zihark cried out and ran to Vince with the other Reian behind him but it was too late.

Engeius cut down the azure sentry with his sword and turned to Zihark who gazed wearily down from the ledge.

"We need to go back down and look for him." the chanter told him. "He might still be alive."

Engeius nodded and hurried after him as they began scaling back down the ancient tree.

Zihark prayed adamantly along the way that his new ally would not be lost.

* * *

><p>The world was hazy and dark as Vince first opened his eyes. His body ached and his head throbbed from the impact of hitting the ground.<p>

The scout groaned and struggled to pull himself together. He gritted his teeth to brace the pain, his left shoulder still stinging from his injury.

Slowly, the scout looked up to try and see just how far he had fallen. He couldn't even see the light.

_Just great... _ He sighed.

Even worse, peering back at the ground and around, his sword was gone.

He breathed a curse. It could have landed anywhere.

Defenseless and weakened, the assassin continued anyway to search for the way back up to his comrades. Sadly, he was back in the maze where they had started.

As he traveled through the labyrinth, it was mostly silent. He continued wearily until he heard a sound from one of the chasms and stopped.

His skin ran pale as he turned to see another giant arachna running right for him.

The assassin leaped out of its way as it lunged to attack, fangs bared.

Vince lost his balance from the fatigue and fell rolling back to the ground.

The spider lunged at him again when the scout shoved his boot square into its venomous jaws, sending it back.

It hissed and screeched as Vince struggled to get up again only to see even more insects coming to the enemy's aid.

The spider lunged again, knocking the scout back down.

Vince cried out from the pain and fought furiously to shove the creature away from him. His exhaustion made it futile.

It felt like almost an eternity until the struggle stopped and the enemies began to flee.

Confused, the scout pulled himself up and turned.

Standing behind him was a massive wooden armoured giant wielding a great sword.

Vince blinked. "Hey there big guy."

After another moment, he reached out a hand to help him up.

Hesitantly, the scout took hold of his hand as he got back on his feet.

"Why are you here?" The giant asked him, his voice extremely familiar.

"Wait." The scout stared at him quizzically before realizing the identity of his savior. "Arthen?"

He nodded.

Vince smiled. "Someone could ask you the same question." He paused before continuing. "Can't say that it is a bad look for you."

Arthen said nothing. Instead he turned towards one of the channels. "We need to keep moving."

The assassin nodded in agreement before his smile faded. "Wait, where is Tina?"

The templar looked back at him. "She's somewhere safe. I am the only one that came here."

Vince sighed with relief. _Tina..._

"Well, come on." Arthen continued forward.

The scout paused for a moment before following. "I am actually looking for someone. I was with two others before we got separated."

Arthen turned. "Who?"

"They're Reians." He told him. "They're somewhere up in the top..." He grew quiet. "I sort of fell.."

The templar nodded. "We should meet them on the way then." After another moment, he reached over and pulled a long slender sword from his scabbard and handed it to Vince. "You will probably need this."

Vince nodded again and took the blade from him. "Thanks. I kind of lost mine..."

"Yeah," Arthen told him. "I noticed."

Vince chuckled lightly from embarrassment before the two continued forward. The scout followed him through each chasm until things started to look familiar again. "So..." the assassin started. "What exactly are you doing down here anyway?"

"Accident," Arthen told him. "But this place feels alive and there is something evil here."

_Sounds like something that Reian kid was saying_, Vince thought.

"I don't know. I had a vision when I came here. It might be connected to other problems Gelkmaros is experiencing." Arthen paused. "I will explain more about it later."

The two kept going until they were out of the dark chasms and back into the boughs of Taloc. The surroundings were green and brighter now. The path also seemed clear up until this point, but that was always subject to change in this place.

They continued along the winding path as familiar azure tendrils thrust from the crevices in the walls and retracted violently as Arthen forced his way through them.

Vince followed closely behind through streams of water and violet hued sap as well as foliage and tendrils until he heard a familiar sound.

Zihark and Engeius were close by, but it sounded like they were fighting something.

"They're close by!" Vince started. "I can hear them!"

"Wait." Arthen stopped.

The scout came to a hault also when he realized that they were being surrounded again by pesky creatures.

Arachnas, Sheluks, Sparkies, and Dionaes - There were too many of them.

"Go on ahead to your friends." Arthen told him. "I can hold these off."

Vince nodded and darted off ahead on the path as the templar engaged.

Just a little ways up the path he found Zihark and Engeius. It looked like they had made it a ways back down the path before they were stopped. Vince had showed up just as they were finishing the last of them, the chanter's blessings keeping them from exhaustion.

Zihark's face lit up when he saw the rogue rushing to their aid while Engeius continued hacking away at the azure sentries and various spiders and parasites.

Vince gripped his sword and swung through the enemies, carving through them until they were no longer a threat to anyone.

Out of breath, Engeius looked over at the asmodian. "Thank you."

Zihark nodded. "I am glad you're okay."

"We're not done yet," Vince told him. "I have a friend that is still in trouble. Come on, hurry!"

Though confused, the two Reians followed Vince as he rushed back down the path where Arthen was still fighting more hoards of the enemy by himself.

Before Vince and Engeius could tear into more enemies, there was another red glow and the battle was over.

Zihark froze when he saw the templar clad in armor of the Elim. "Your friend?"

"Yeah." Vince lowered his sword and sighed. "From way back." A sly smile fell on his face.

"Asmodian?" The Reian boy inquired.

Arthen turned to the two Reians, still staring at him in awe. "I am."

Zihark shook his head. "I don't understand."

"What do you mean?" Vince tilted his head.

After another moment of silence Zihark regained his composure. "I see." He paused. "Seeing that you are a trusted friend of Taloc, you are my friend as well."

Arthen smiled. "I'd hope so."

"But I don't understand." Zihark continued. "Why are you here? And why did Taloc give you his blessings?"

"I don't know," the templar told him. "But _Taloc_ saved my life. I didn't come here intentionally. It was an accident that I ended up here."

"I don't think it was." Engeius interjected. "I think that it was meant to happen."

"Maybe." Arthen turned towards the path up. "I saw the spirit of an Elim when I was saved. It told me to fight the corruption inside of this place and gave me this power."

"Taloc's fruit and Taloc's tears." Zihark paused before continuing. "There is definitely some kind of infection inside of him."

Vince's smile faded. "What do you think it is?"

Zihark also turned to face ahead. "I don't know but there is only one way to find out."

The others agreed and continued on up the path until they could see a giant pristine waterfall. It flowed down the ledge creating all of the streams and pools they had seen earlier. It was beautiful.

"_Help! Help me! Is there anyone there!_" They heard a woman's voice shouting in Reian. "_Help me!_"

Vince and Arthen paused and turned to eachother before following when Zihark and Engeius rushed ahead.

Further up the path left of the waterfall was indeed a Reian woman clad in light armor wielding a sword. She was weary defending herself from what looked like a giant spider. It was bigger than any of the ones they had fought previously.

As they approached, the spider turned and the female Reian fell limp to the floor.

Engeius clenched his teeth as he rushed to her. "_No! Tealen!_"

Vince dashed behind the spider before it could do anymore and sliced clean through it, ending its life.

Zihark kneeled besides the Reian that Engeius was now holding in his arms. "It looks like she's asleep," he said.

The Reian templar shook the girl. "Tealen. Tealen wake up."

Her pale eyes slowly started to open. "...Engeius?"

"Yes." He told her. "Yes, it's me. Are you alright?" The Reian cradled her head gently in his hand, now tangled in her long platinum blonde hair.

"Wow. What happened?" She paused now more aware. "Who are these people." She looked directly at Arthen.

"Friends." Engeius told her. "They saved me."

"What about the others?" Tealen continued. "Hyas?"

"I don't know." He told her. "A lot of our team didn't make it."

"I see." She grew quiet for a moment before finally pulling herself back up to her feet.

"I'm sorry." Zihark told her.

She shook her head. "They fought bravely." She paused and turned away from them. "Queen Mosqua's nest is just ahead."

"Queen Mosqua?" Zihark asked.

She nodded and turned back towards the other four. "Before our team was separated, we discovered that she might be the source of the infection."

Engeius nodded. "Destroying her might mean saving Taloc."

"It's settled then." Vince finally said.

Zihark turned to him. "What do you mean?"

The assassin smiled. "We go in there, defeat this Queen Mosqua and finally get the hell out of here."

The Reian boy nodded.

Arthen gripped his great sword and looked on ahead. "Well, let's go."

They all followed the templar as he made his way forward into another cove filled with insect eggs. Among the eggs was also a giant egg in the center of the room and with it was the queen.

Mosqua was a giant Supraklaw, a pronged wasp-like creature protected by its hard exterior. On its forehead was its eye, an emerald hued orb embedded into its skin. She carefully patrolled her nest unaware of her new guests.

As Arthen and the others entered the room, the queen finally took notice of them.

Mosqua turned to face them. After a moment of studying them, she called and beat her wings.

"Uhh," Vince started. "What is it doing?"

Before anyone could answer, the entrance behind them was blocked by a sudden growth of thick vines. Even worse, the eggs in the room started to hatch.

"Just great." Vince turned to Arthen. "A plan would be nice."

The templar nodded and turned to the scout and the Reians. "Take care of the eggs and the hatchlings first while I hold the queen's attention." He looked over at Zihark. "Make sure no one gets hurt."

Zihark nodded. "Understood."

Arthen turned back towards the room and waited for a moment before finally charging at the queen. "Go!"

Vince and the others rushed to every corner of the room, hacking and slashing through eggs and hatching insects before they were outnumbered.

Arthen swung fiercely at the queen only to be evaded as it hovered from side to side over him.

After another moment, the queen beat her wings and rammed hard into the asmodian knight.

Arthen parried the blow with his sword and pushed her back.

"Why are there so many of these damn things?" Vince cut through egg after egg as more and more started to hatch. Soon they were hatching faster than they could get to them. He paused to look around to find that the others were having the same problem. _Not good... _

After another moment, Mosqua called out again and beat her wings.

Now even more eggs started to hatch in response to her as the others scrambled to keep them away from Arthen.

Arthen swung at the queen again, only scratching at her body when he noticed that another drone had accompanied her. It was atleast half her size and definitely not a hatchling.

The asmodian knight only took his sight off of the queen for a moment when she rammed right into him and knocked him to the ground.

Zihark breathed a curse and ran to help him before he realized that the summoned drone was already heading right for him.

The queen stabbed at Arthen's armor with its sharp prongs, tearing into him before he finally knocked her back again with his sword square in its eye.

The queen reeled back in pain and screeched.

As more insects hatched from their eggs, they were beginning to be surrounded.

Arthen quickly pulled himself back up to his feet.

However, Zihark was still in trouble.

Without thinking,Tealen stopped hacking at the hatchling spawn and turned to swing her sword wildly at the queen's drone before it's jaws found the chanter.

A direct blow to the creature's abdomen and it fell limp to the floor.

Zihark's relief quickly faded into panic as he also realized that they were starting to be overwhelmed.

Vince looked over at Engeius and then back at Arthen.

The queen continued to ram into the templar hard to knock him down, however he continued to block each blow until he found himself pinned against the egg in the center of the room. Finally he grabbed hold of her, smashing her into the ground never to rise again.

"A little help here!" Vince reminded him as the others continued to struggle to hold off the rest of the enemies.

In a single cast, Arthen pulled them all into him with ropes of aether and destroyed them with a swift swing of his sword. The red glow of Taloc's tear permeated his fist.

At the same time, the vines blocking the entrance retracted back into the walls.

"Well, that was easy." Vince said as he brushed himself off.

Zihark looked down and around but something didn't feel right. "I don't think we are done," the Reian told them.

"I think you're right," Arthen agreed. "But what else is there?"

Tealen looked over at Engeius and then back at the asmodian knight. "Our expedition didn't make it any farther than this."

"Hmm." Arthen looked around also. He paused before finally noticing a large hole in the ceiling. "Maybe up there?"

Vince stared at the giant unhatched egg in the center of the room before finally swinging his sword at it.

When it broke, it revealed a noxious gas vent underneath that pushed up into the room above.

Vince stepped back. "Well, that's gross."

"No, this will work." Arthen told him.

Zihark looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"The aether in here isn't rich enough for us to be able to fly, however," Arthen continued. "We might be able to glide to the upper level using this."

"Gross." Vince interjected.

Arthen sighed.

"There is one problem with that plan," Zihark told him. "We can't."

"Why not?" Vince turned to them.

Engeius stepped forward and exhaled before finally displaying his wings. One single broken red wing materialized on his back.

Zihark said nothing.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Vince's gaze fell to the floor.

Tealen shook her head. "It's a long story. Something happened to our people a long time ago and since then we have grown weak."

"I see." Arthen paused for a moment. "Then I guess you will have to stay behind."

Zihark looked back at the asmodians. "I know that you two can save Taloc. The rest of us will find a way out of here and get to safety."

Arthen nodded. "We will meet back with you when we are done."

The Reian boy nodded before chanting a final blessing for Vince and Arthen. Afterwards, he and the other Reians hurried back out of the room.

Vince grimaced. "I can't believe we are doing this."

Arthen stretched and displayed his large ebon wings before standing over the vent and letting the current push him up into the upper level.

The scout watched in disgust and debated whether or not he should really do this. After another moment, his black wings materialized and he followed after his comrade.

On the surface, what they saw was both incredible and terrifying.

The room was filled with more giant eggs surrounded by azure sentries.

Arthen drew his sword as he surveyed the room and noticed an empty pool in the far east side of the room.

None of the azure creatures seemed to notice as Vince approached them either. "What is going on here?" The scout looked over at Arthen.

The templar looked back at him. "I don't know." After another moment, he took his sword and swung it right through one of the eggs, tearing it open.

When it opened, there was an explosion and the creatures surrounding it fell limp to the floor.

At the same time the other creatures started to notice.

"That's it!" Vince started.

"We need to hurry." Arthen rushed across the room cutting through the eggs as he went and destroying the sentries as they followed him.

After a moment, Vince did the same across the other side of the room.

It wasn't long until the room fell completely silent and all the eggs and the sentries had been destroyed.

"That's it?" Sword in hand, Vince turned to Arthen.

The knight's gaze fell on the pool in the far side of the room where he saw one final sentry standing at its edge.

Vince turned and saw it as well. Without hesitation, the scout lunged at it with his sword only for it to elude him and escape into a small crevice in the wall.

"Huh..." Vince looked up at the high wooden ceiling. "I wonder where-"

A sudden shift in the ground interrupted him.

"What the hell?" Vince stared at the water as Arthen ran to his side.

However, before he could, a giant azure creature emerged from the water. It had a dozen long tendrils and towered over the two asmodians.

"Vince, GET BACK!" Arthen shouted.

The rogue stared up at the monster, petrified.

In one swift swing, the creature smashed one of its tentacles into Vince sending him flying to the other side of the room where he crashed into the wall unconscious.

The templar breathed a curse as the monster now set its eyes on him. Only he could fight it with the Elim's blessing. That much was clear.

The monster lashed another tendril at the templar this time.

Arthen fought off each attack with his blade in an attempt to weaken it, but it was futile.

It wasn't long before the monster grasped the hero with its tendrils, constricting him.

The knight braced himself for the pain, but the armor protected him from being crushed.

In frustration, it tossed Arthen back down to the floor face down into the water.

The asmodian struggled to get back on his feet before the creature whipped him again sending him spiraling back down to the ground.

More azure tendrils protruded from the walls around him as the monster prepared for it's next attack.

As Arthen made it back onto his feet, he was showered with what looked like spores. His head started to spin but he kept his focus. He swung again.

The creature reeled back and hissed after being cut again by the knight's sword. However, it had another trick up its sleeve.

Azure sentries began to spawn from its own body.

Arthen stepped back as the sentries started to swarm him as he struggled to slay them one by one. The poison and the battle was starting to take its toll on him.

Once again, the enemy grasped him in its tendrils and lifted him up and slammed him back down into the floor.

The pain started to feel almost bone shattering.

The templar scrambled back up to his feet before finally activating Taloc's tear once again.

The red glow and the blast from the item caused the creature to hiss and convulse.

Arthen swung his sword hard again at the enemy, slicing through its tendrils and its body.

The enemy lashed in rage at the templar as it became weaker and eventually came to a halt and fell limp to the floor.

The knight fell to his knees.

It was over.

The templar stared at the corpse of the fallen parasite, weary and out of breath. After another moment, he rushed to the other side of the room to Vince's aid at last.

Vince looked up at him and smiled. "You did it."

Arthen nodded. "Now we need to get out of here."

Vince nodded and tried to pull himself up. The pain in his shoulder still made him cringe more than anything. However, he still felt rattled from being tossed.

Before they could go anywhere, someone approached them from behind.

It was the spirit of an Elim.

Arthen turned. "I defeated the source of the corruption."

The Elim smiled. "And I thank you, daeva." He paused before continuing. "As you might know, I am Taloc- The massive tree in which you have been inside this entire time."

Vince and Arthen listened.

The Elim's smile faded. "My origins lie in a fateful event which took place when the tower of eternity shattered during the cataclysm when one of the shards found itself in my roots and my body. Since then, I grew and grew and became the guardian of this forest. As my roots stretched and also grew, I became much more than that. However, to sustain this life, I have absorbed much of the aether in the land." He paused again before continuing. "Creatures have naturally lived inside and around me and came to me for counsel, but something changed and they became corrupt with the power that resided within me."

"I see." Arthen continued to listen.

"Yes," Taloc went on to say. "But thanks to your efforts, I should be able to heal and things can return to normal."

"I'm glad to have been able to help." Arthen told him.

Vince remained silent in thought.

Taloc studied both of them before continuing. "But I am afraid that there is still more to be done."

"What do you mean?" Arthen asked.

Taloc frowned. "On the outside there is more turmoil going on in our world than you think. It is your job to restore the balance and deliver justice to those with evil minds. This is the fate that is entrusted to you and your allies."

"Wait." Vince looked up. "Can you tell us more about this _'turmoil'_?"

"That is all that I can tell you for now." He told them. "Things will reveal themselves to you in time when it becomes more appropriate. For now," He paused. "I will send you to your friends who are waiting for you. You have my blessing."

Before either of them could say anything, the Elim disappeared and their world faded to white.


	10. A New Beginning

**A New Beginning**

Tina sighed, sitting by the camp fire as she waited back at the village with Innes.

Sopie frowned as she brought them warm meals and drinks. "Just be patient. He'll show up soon. He couldn't have wandered off too far."

The cleric shook her head, taking her drink in hand. "I sure hope so."

Innes remained silent, resting his head up on his knees and poking the fire with a stick.

Sophie glanced between the two for a time before glancing back up at the gates and squinting her eyes at something in the distance. "Who's that now?"

Immediately, the lilac haired priestess jumped up upon seeing the group of travelers in the distance. She stared for a moment as well before her eyes widened. "It's Arthen! He's back!"

The mage looked up also before his forehead creased with confusion. "Who's he with?"

The cleric shook her head before running out to meet them. "Athen! Arrtheen!"

The rogue and the blue haired knight made their way back to the village with the two Reians at their side.

Vince grinned up at the templar. "Oh look who's coming for us now. You might be in some trouble mister."

Arthen muttered something inaudible in response before the cleric finally made it up to him and swung her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. "Where on Atreia did you go?"

"Yeah, where were you?" Innes seemed to have almost materialized behind her.

"Oh, we went on a little adventure." Vince's grin widened. "You know, the usual thing."

Not even acknowledging the scout, the cleric let go of the warrior and stepped back. "What happened?"

Arthen scratched his head. "It's kind of a long story."

"A long story?" Tina eyed Engeius and Zihark who were quiet this whole time. "Who are you?"

The warrior bowed politely. "My name is Engeius. Your friends saved me. And for that, I am grateful."

Zihark remained silent for a moment before sighing. "And I'm Zihark."

Vince patted the chanter on the shoulder before returning his attention to the cleric. "So the tough guy gets a hug but I don't?"

Tina smiled and shook her head. "I thought you weren't coming with us to Gelkmaros?"

The assassin shoved his hands into his pants pockets and chuckled. "Well, I wasn't planning on it. It just sort of happened that way. Maybe fate or something like that." He beamed at her.

Innes rolled his eyes, impatient with this whole situation already.

The cleric glanced between everybody again before turning to head back to the village. "Well, come on. Sophie already has lunch made for everyone. We should head back."

Arthen nodded as the rest followed back to Rhonnam.

Sophie's dark brown eyes lit up when she saw the two Reians. Almost eagerly, she set out to serve the rest of her company as quickly as possible.

Arthen seated himself next to Tina and smiled. "So, I take it you're doing better now?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I was until you went off and disappeared like that."

"I'm really sorry." The man sighed, setting his food down in front of him. "I just kind of went for a walk and I sort of got pulled into something unintentionally."

She shook her head at him. "You know better than to go out alone like that."

He frowned. "I really am sorry, Tina."

Vince saw the two of them talking by the fire and welcomed himself on the other side of Tina, a bowl of hot rice in hand. He shoveled some into his mouth as he listened to the two go on.

"Have you had any more of those dreams?" Arthen looked at the light haired cleric questioningly.

"No.. I haven't had any more after that one. I am beginning to think that it.." She paused noticing the scout there finally.

Vince stared back at the two, his mouth full of food when he spoke. "Whatcha guys talkin' about?"

Tina rubbed her forehead. "About a dream I had the other night. It's nothing."

"A dream?" Innes joined them now though now everyone seemed to be coming over.

"It's nothing. Really." The cleric drew in a deep breath and exhaled.

Vince swallowed his food down. "Yeah, leave the girl alone. You guys are crowding her now."

The red headed mage glared at him.

The templar shook his head again, starting to speak before he was interrupted.

"Arthen, I have a letter for you! Akakakak!"

The four looked around confused a moment before Arthen finally turned to the shugo that was standing before them. "A letter?"

The shugo nodded. "A letter from Richelle. Here you go, nyerk!"

The warrior took the letter as it was handed to him.

Tina and the others waited silently as he read the letter as though waiting for some kind of news.

After a moment, Arthen looked up again. "Apparently since last night, the aetheric generators have been working again. She wants us to come back for another mission."

Tina narrowed her eyes in thought. "Since last night? What could have caused the change?"

Arthen shook his head. "It might have had something to do with Taloc..."

The cleric raised an eyebrow. "Tay-what?"

"Taloc." Zihark stepped up from behind, towering over them. "He's the guardian of this entire land. He's the reason why I'm breathing right now." He turned his cold gaze directly at Arthen. "And he's the reason why you didn't end up being worm food."

Tina glanced between the two and scowled. "I see... Well, regardless of what the causation was, the generators are working again. I'm sure that Richelle will be wanting to see us tomorrow so we should probably get are things together tonight."

Arthen nodded before looking back at the shugo. "Let her know that we got the message and we'll be back at the fortress tomorrow morning."

"Alright!" The shugo chirped before hurrying off again.

"Well... That's interesting." Innes scratched his chin. "Must have been some adventure you guys had wherever you were."

Zihark looked over at the mage. "All that matters is that Taloc is well." Looking back at Arthen his expression softened. "I am really thankful for your help. I really am. But I need to get back to my father. I'm sure he's worried about me."

Tina stared into the campfire in silence.

"What about your sister?" Vince took another mouthful of rice before putting his bowl down.

The assassin has his attention now. "What about my sister?"

"You said the balaur took her. Didn't you want to look for her?"

The Reian boy glared. "That was a long time ago. There's no telling where she is now."

Sophie came back to take their dishes. She listened to them carefully as she filled her arms with bowls and glasses to wash.

"Well you have to look for her." Vince added finally.

The boy snarled, taking a step forward at the assassin. "You think that I haven't!"

"Whoa, hey wait a minute you guys." Arthen stood up to get between the two of them. "What are you talking about?" He looked at Zihark. "What are you saying?"

The chanter sighed. "A long time ago, me and my sister were ambushed in Taloc's forest. I wasn't able to protect my sister and the Balaur took her away from me. They didn't kill her, they just took her away."

Sophie paused, looking over at the Reian now. "So she is still alive somewhere?"

The boy forced his eyes shut, his form visibly shaking. "She has to be."

"I see." Sophie picked up the last of the dishes before standing up straight again to face him. "Perhaps she's with the Dragonbound then."

"_Don't say that!_" The boy barked through clenched teeth, glaring coldly at the woman. "Don't say things like that."

Arthen tilted his head curiously. "What is... the Dragonbound?"

"They're Reians under the Balaur's control." Innes interjected. "Brainwashed kind of."

The warrior looked back at the red head. "Brainwashed?"

"Okay, enough of this!" Zihark stopped them. "I don't want to hear it."

Tina studied the chanter and frowned. "You know don't you?"

The boy was reluctant to reply for a long moment before breathing a sigh. "Yes... I do know."

"How?" Vince couldn't hold back his curiosity.

"I just do." The Reian told him. "I've heard rumors that she was seen around the Udas Temple grounds. I didn't want to believe it.. But what else could they have done with her?"

Arthen listened to them for a time before finally speaking again. "Well, Zihark, I'll bring this up when I speak to Richelle tomorrow. Then maybe we can find your sister."

A weak smile crept onto the boy's face before he looked away. "I... Thank you."

Sophie glanced between the travelers another time before hurrying off to clean up.

Tina stared off in thought as a temporary air of silence surrounded them.

_The Dragonbound..?_


End file.
